Help comes in unexpected ways!

So when Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul. Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, "Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him." So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, "Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you." Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, "What is it that you have to tell me?" And he said, "The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to inquire more fully about him. But do not yield to them, for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him; and now they are ready, waiting for the promise from you." So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, "Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me." Acts 23:16-22

The radical Jewish religious leaders made an oath not to eat or drink until Paul was dead (v.12 & 14). Talk about blind rage! God could have done anything to rescue Paul from these maniacally dangerous men. What He did was not what we might have expected.

Who knows that Paul had a nephew? Who knows how Paul’s nephew caught wind of the plot to ambush Paul? How did the nephew get in to see Paul? Why was Paul able to tell the Romans about the plot, and why would they listen to Paul? Why was the nephew allowed to tell the Roman authorities and why did they listen to him?

Providence. None of these were miracles, per se, but they were evidence of the sovereign hand of God orchestrating circumstances (including unlikely circumstances) to accomplish His will.

This is why we ought not pray to God when we are in trouble by telling Him how to solve the dilemma. Pray? YES! But remember that He doesn’t need our counsel on solving our difficulties. Instead, let us pour out our concerns to Him, trusting Him to do what is right—and best!