"...so you must also testify in Rome."
I like how Paul stands up to the leaders one minute, but backs off and speaks wisely the next. Not only does it get him out of immediate danger, but it allows him to hear from God the plan He is about to set in motion. God tells Paul he will testify in Rome, and his journey begins that night.
The command Ithink followers of Jesus need to heed is the simple command to, "Take courage!" God always gives that one when something big and difficult is about to happen. I'm not sure we hear that command much, possibly because we aren't ready for the big stuff...the stuff that will summon our courage. But our faith demands big things of us. May we desire big things.
In the previous chapter, the crowd was listening intently to Paul as he told them the story of his conversion. But, the minute he said that God wanted to him to tell his message to the Gentiles, they stopped listening and turned against him. Not only did they stop listening, but they were ready to have him killed immediately. In spite of all this and the plots to have hime murdered, Paul does not give up. And that night he had God standing by his side (by his side!...not just talking to him) and telling Paul to "take courage" . I agree with Rob that that is a good command for us to follow. Most definitely hard to remember in the difficult times, but worth remembering that God is always by our side also.
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