“I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried...if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar.”Acts 25:10-12

Paul had been warned. The prophet Agabus cautioned that if he went to Jerusalem, Paul would be delivered “into the hands of the Gentiles.” Alarmed, Paul’s friends begged him not to go, but he would not be dissuaded: “I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:7-14). As prophesied, in Jerusalem Paul was handed over to the Gentiles. Then he found himself back in Caesarea, where he faced a series of Roman rulers and had another opportunity to return to Jerusalem. But Paul had a sense of God’s calling. He had learned to follow the Lord’s leading rather than assume the next step in his journey. This meant continuing to move forward in faith. He knew that the Jewish leaders wanted him to return to Jerusalem, where they would have more opportunities to attack him. But, to Paul, going to Jerusalem also meant going backward. And he knew that God was calling him onward. As Paul went forward, he would face many unknowns and dangers. But, trusting God, this also provided more opportunities to witness. In fact, by appealing to Caesar, Paul was opening new doors for the Gospel that would enable him to reach more people, even Roman leaders. God calls us onward. We may revisit places from our past, just as Paul revisited Caesarea. But he also calls us to embrace His plans and move forward, trusting Him each step of the way. He wants us to look at our lives not just as an adventure, but also as a constant series of opportunities to serve Him and learn new things. Brothers & Sisters today, make sure you are moving forward to accomplish His purposes.