Interstitial mercies

All of us have had the experience of some of our best times coming in the midst of some of our worst sufferings. My firstborn son was locked up for two years, and it became the occasion of our best family outings. Since I rarely to never take holidays or go anywhere with the kids, the Lord provided the "enforced vacations" of trips to New York, West Virginia, and Ohio to visit prisons.

Today I was reading the last half of Acts, the chronicle of a life of suffering for the gospel. What caught my attention was that suffering is almost never unrelieved. In particular the sufferings of the servants of God are marked by interstitial mercies.

In the legal battle for his life in Caesarea, we find the little unobtrusive detail that Paul was allowed unusual kindness of having his friends come to visit and provide for him (24:23). Later, when a prisoner on a ship bound for Rome, Paul is placed in the care of a centurion who takes a liking to him and grants him permission to visit his friends when they port in Sidon (27:3). The same centurion is instrumental in saving Paul's life when the other soldiers' plan to kill all the prisoners (27:42-43).

The ship runs aground on some strange island, where there happen to be friendly and helpful natives (28:2,10). An Alexandrian ship shows up just on time, and after sailing a while, they reach Rhegium, where Paul finds brethren who invite him to stay for seven days (28:13-14). Once safely in Rome, Paul is singled out for permission to live by himself and receive visitors (28:16-17).

Is there anyone who will say, after the adventures God has handed him, full of suffering though they were, "I wish it had never happened. I wish I had stayed home and watched Wheel of Fortune"?

To hear commentaries by Andrée Seu, click here.