Acts 21:5
When we had come to the end of those days, we departed and went on our way; and they all accompanied us, with wives and children, till we were out of the city. And we knelt down on the shore and prayed.

When our daughter was in high school she felt like the Lord wanted her to go on an extended missions trip to Africa. And so, she began to save and pray and before we knew it the time arrived when she would depart. I remember the days leading up to her leaving and all of the emotions that we all felt… making sure she had all her shots, all of her supplies, helping her pack her bag…and then the trip to the airport. Our hearts were filled with a sense of joy, excitement and sorrow…knowing that she would be gone for most of the summer. She would be in a foreign country far, far away where we would have no verbal contact with her. It was William Shakespeare who penned the words, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” This is the picture we see here in the Book of Acts as Paul who was loved so deeply by all of those whom he would minister to says his good-byes. What makes this scene all the more tender and emotional is that in Paul’s heart, he knew that he would never see them again…at least not on this earth. There is a sweet sorrow in saying good-bye as you are saddened by someone you love’s departure and at the same time reflecting on the sweetness of your relationship and the tender times of Christian fellowship you had with them. But…in Christ, such sorrow is always temporary. For the reality is…whether or not we see that individual again on this earth…we will see them eternally in heaven. Paul understood this, perhaps like no other, which is why he declared, “…to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain…yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two…”, Phil 1:21-3. He lived his life with a keen understanding of eternity. He knew that the dichotomy of the two was ‘sweet sorrow’. To live is to tell more people about Jesus…but to die is to be in His presence. Oh how I love this picture of Paul and the brothers and their wives and children, kneeling on the shore, with the sound of the waves beckoning Paul towards the next phase of his journey, praying…thanking God for their time with Paul and comfort for the comforting of their souls in his departure.

Oh Father, how wonderful it is to know that we will spend all of eternity with you. How comforting your words are to point us to such spiritual truths. Thank you for the example that Paul was in revealing the reality of You in their lives. Lead us, by the Holy Spirit, to live our lives in the same manner. In Jesus’ name we pray…Amen!

I pray that you, like Paul, would live your life torn between life on earth and eternity in heaven. I pray that you have a precious week of intimacy with Jesus and that your hearts will be reminded of His ever constant love for you.