Daily Devotional for Tuesday, May 16

Sidon to Myra

“And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia,” Acts 27:4, 5.

Paul desired to go to Rome, the hub of the world. “All roads lead to Rome,” and therefore, out of Rome as well. Paul knew there was a pocket of believers there, and he wrote to them. He wanted to encourage them and work among them (Romans 1:10-13) so that the gospel could spread to all parts of the world through the infrastructure the Romans had created. “So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also” (verse15).
When Paul purposed to go to Macedonia and Achaia (Acts 19), he determined to go on to Rome as well. Later, in Acts 23:11, the Lord affirmed that desire. Paul would testify of Christ in Rome, but imprisonment would be the vehicle.
Getting to Rome would provide numerous opportunities to meet and talk with many people. Although there is no written record, we can be sure Paul bore witness along the way. His journey to Rome took him to places outside his missionary journeys, such as Sidon. It was north of Galilee, not too far away. Sidon and its sister city, Tyre, had poor reputations. Jesus referred to their wickedness in Matthew 11:21 and Luke 10:13, yet people from there came to hear and be healed by Jesus (Mark 3:8, Luke 6:17). Acts 12:24 hints that the gospel spread rapidly among them after the sudden death of Herod Agrippa I. If Paul traveled from Tarsus or Antioch to Jerusalem over land, he would have passed through Sidon. Paul had made friends there who now cared for him on his journey to Rome. God still uses pockets of believers to support missionaries on their journeys.

THOUGHT: Although once known for wickedness, the small group of believers in Sidon grew to a significant Christian community by the second century AD.

Kelli Reynolds