Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
Psalm 116:7

And when they had withdrawn, they said to one another, “This man is doing nothing to deserve death or imprisonment.” And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar!”
Acts 26:31-32

Paul had appealed his case to Caesar because he had no other choice. He knew that if he were sent back to Jerusalem, he would be ambushed and killed before he got there, and if he escaped that, he would not get a fair trial there anyway.

But he also knew that the Lord Jesus was sending him to Rome. More than two years before, “…The Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about Me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
Acts 23:11

So when Paul made his appeal to Caesar, instead of thinking, “Oh, no! What am I going to do? I’ll have to appeal to Caesar,” he thought, “Oh, I get it. So this is how He’s going to get me to Rome!”

In his heart, Paul could sing, “Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.” (Psalm 116:7)

If I have surrendered my life to Jesus, my life is now His. Everything that is beyond my control is in His hands. He has it all under control; I can rest.

God’s loving purpose will be accomplished.

Jesus, You are the Lord of my life. You call the shots and I know I can trust You. Keep me close today. I will trust, and rest, in You. Amen.

Pastor Dan Giles