The theme of Acts 20 jumps out at me in a hurry--encouragement. From 19:21 we learn that Paul was headed for Jerusalem but kept being slowed down by threats of death--you know the usual. In 20:16 you see Paul is now hurried for Jerusalem. All this to say that God in His sovereignty keeps slowing Paul down in order that the Saints would be encouraged. Paul has to go on a different path than he would have hoped for in order to get to Jerusalem but while he was being slowed down he spent extra time with the churches, wrote the book of Romans, and performed a miraculous healing on a kid who fell three stories out of a balcony window. What I am learning from Acts 20 is that the ministry of encouragement is absolutely crucial, especially for new believers.
When was the last time your plans were frustrated. Joseph after being sold into slavery by his brothers would later rise to second in command over all of egypt wrote this in Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, you meant evil against me but God meant it for good in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."
God's plan has always been to save many people alive, and He will slow us down and help us learn how to encourage the saints.
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