In Between the Verses

It is quite surprising how many months or even years there are between single verses in Scripture.  The Scriptures speak to us through the words written, but they also speak in between the written words. 

For example, Saul the terrorist is converted into Paul the Apostle and pillar of the Church in Acts 9, and specifically between verses 19-26 (and possibly just between verses 25 and 26) there is a 3 year gap, but we wouldn't know it unless we linked it with careful study of another part of Scripture (Galatians 1:15-19).  It takes a reader like you and me several seconds to cross over what may have been painful months and years of waiting and preparing in Paul's life.

Just a few chapters later in Acts 15 (what could've taken the reader minutes to get to) Paul mentions in Galatians 2, verse 1 that there was a 14 year gap between these short chapters.

It is even more shocking to consider that ancient Scriptures had no verses or chapters or even puncuation, so for a long time this would have been literal years and decades between run on sentences and words.

This is all extremely applicable to our lives.  God is working his plan in each of us as we submit to and adore Christ.  Sometimes we can get impatient and yearn to do more for his Kingdom or long for outward forms of success.  In these times we can find great, great comfort "in between the verses" of Scriptures.  What an awe inspiring thought it is that the pillars of our faith, men and women like Paul spent years and decades in the in between times preparing, praying, walking with God.  We must learn to embrace these seasons and learn all we can from them.

Where are you at in between the verses of God's great plan for your life?