The next morning some Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. More than forty men were involved in this plot. They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.”
But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.”
The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?” He said: “Some Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.” The commander dismissed the young man with this warning: “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”

I have been in tough situations in life, times when I didn’t know what was happening with the health of those I love. I lost my mom early on, and I have had challenging situations without employment or income. In those instances, it is easy to see who your true friends are. They are people who rally around you when the road gets difficult and it would be easy to shrink away and not associate with you.

I have been blessed with a dozen or so of these friends in my life. They hold me up in tough times. It reminds me of the story of Moses when the Israelites were battling the Amalekites. “So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.” (‭‭Exodus‬ ‭17‬:‭10‬-‭12‬)

Moses had men who rallied around him when the battle raged: Joshua, his army general, and Aaron and Hur, who helped raise his hands as God commanded. And when Moses' hands were raised, the Israelites were winning in battle.

Paul also had some loyal friends here: 1) The boy (his sister’s son), and 2) the commander. The boy, who told Paul about this plot, did so at great risk of being found out and possibly killed. Forty violent men would not have been happy. When he heard about the plot to take Paul’s life, he took action.

Who are those people who have stood by you in the toughest times in your life? When it was easier to leave? Have you honored or thanked them recently? Maybe God put them around you on purpose to show you his hand of provision and his love for you.

Lord, thank you for those you have put around me to bless me in the challenges of life. They are truly a blessing from you. Not sure how I would have made it through without them. Bless them! May I honor them and recognize their fierce loyalty.