Now three days after Festus had arrived in the province, he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews laid out their case against Paul, and they urged him, 3 asking as a favor against Paul that he summon him to Jerusalem—because they were planning an ambush to kill him on the way. 4 Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea and that he himself intended to go there shortly. 5 “So,” said he, “let the men of authority among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong about the man, let them bring charges against him.”6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”
Our youngest son was one of the fastest people on his high school soccer team. Only Justin was possibly faster. His soccer team was named Relentless Pursuit. Although they were not the best team in their recreational league, they were good enough to enjoy watch them play. I am reminded of that because of the relentless pursuit of Paul by his enemies. They. Will. Just. Not. Give. Up.
I wish the devil and his minions were not so dedicated to our destruction and doom. Wouldn’t it be great to have just a moment’s respite from his attacks? Why can’t he find someone else to trouble? Oh for a time of peace! Oh for a moment of true rest.
OK, I’m exaggerating a bit. We do have moments of peace. I think of when I have held one of my grandchildren for his or her baptism. I recall the time we had watching the sunset on our recent vacation. The walk in the woods. The hike by the lake. Times of peace – thanks be to God!
But the devil is always working. Satan is always seeking to steal, kill, and destroy. He is like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. He will set up scenarios, incite others to act in his behalf. And then there is our own sinful flesh. It gets into the act as well. There are so many fronts on which Satan can attack. We have three enemies: the devil, the world, and our flesh.
We have but one Savior, but he is over all. He has destroyed the power of the devil and given us a new identity as children of God. The Holy Spirit is also within the believer to incite us toward good, resisting temptation, and tipping us off as to his schemes.
Until the very Last Day we will battle with these enemies of God and good. But there will come an end to the battle. Every tongue will one day confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every knee will bow before him. The devil is not the only one relentlessly pursuing us. God is too. In the words of the song, Wreckless Love,
There’s no shadow You won’t light up
Mountain You won’t climb up
Coming after me
There’s no wall You won’t kick down
Lie You won’t tear down
Coming after me
- Reckless Love Cory Asbury
God is pursuing us – because he loves us, and he wants to be with him forever.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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