Scripture:

Acts 16:6-10
They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7 When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8 so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

Observation:

I have often been struck by the following deep theological assertion when reading this passage ... Huh!
Why in the world would God call and equip Paul and company to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles - even to the ends of the Earth - and then prevent his band of disciples from doing just that in certain locations?

Could it be that God doesn't desire to extend the boundaries of the Reign of God into all corners of creation? I have a hard time squaring that thought with all I have come to know and love about the Living God.  

What if this passage is not describing the limits of God's influential grace, so much as it is describing the limits of our capacity to bear it to specific people and places? That is to say, what if God's "no" here is not a "no" to the people of Asia, Mysia and Bithynia, but a "no" to Paul and his troupe?

Application:

Have you ever heard the story about a teacher who created a trick test? After instructing her class to always read through an entire test before beginning to answer any questions, the papers are handed out. Half the class is sweating through the impossibly hard questions when a steady stream of their peers begin to hand in their papers after a ridiculously short amount of time. The thing is, those who listened to the instructions and read the entire test before beginning to "do" the test came to the last page and found a pleasant surprise. It read simply: "Once you have read this page, simply sign your name at the top of the first page and hand in your test. You are done."

I wonder if our call as disciples is a bit like that story. The world is full to the brim with people and places that desperately need to encounter the gospel YES! of the living Word of God. The thing is, if I try to bear that word by myself to all of them, nothing is ever going to be accomplished. That scenario is just another example (all too common in my life, by the way) of me ignoring the instructions and trying to be God in God's place.

I am learning that the mark of true discipleship is never about a one-off conversion experience that launches me into a life of serving and ministering to the world on my own terms, according to my own plans. True discipleship is about an ongoing process of seeking after, "What the LORD is saying to me today, here, now?" Then, each time I hear from the Lord, I must work within my community of faith to discern, "How the LORD would have me do in response?"

Seen in this way, what looks at first glance 

like Paul's frustrated failure, is actually a 

shining discipleship success story.

Prayer:

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening. I ask that you would humble and encourage me so that wait upon your word. Grant me grace to respond in trusting faith when it is "no", or "not yet", or "not you". For I am learning that the road to "yes", and "now", and "yes you" is navigated in this way. Amen.