one of the two men said, 'Let us join partnership together, and set
up here as tent-makers for a time.' What came out of this unintended
and apparently chance meeting?

The first thing was the conversion of Aquila and his wife; and the
effects of that are being realised by them in heaven at this moment,
and will go on to all eternity.

So, in the infinite complexity of events, do not let us worry
ourselves by forecasting, but let us trust, and be sure that the Hand
which is pushing us is pushing us in the right direction, and that He
will bring us, by a right, though a roundabout way, to the City of
Habitation. It seems to me that we poor, blind creatures in this
world are somewhat like a man in a prison, groping with his hand in
the dark along the wall, and all unawares touching a spring which
moves a stone, disclosing an aperture that lets in a breath of purer
air, and opens the way to freedom. So we go on as if stumbling in the
dark, and presently, without our knowing what we do, by some trivial
act we originate a train of events which influences our whole future.

Again, when Aquila and Priscilla reached Ephesus they formed another
chance acquaintance in the person of a brilliant young Alexandrian,
whose name was Apollos. They found that he had good intentions and a
good heart, but a head very scantily furnished with the knowledge of
the Gospel. So they took him in hand, just as Paul had taken them. If
I may use such a phrase, they did not know how large a fish they had
caught. They had no idea what a mighty power for Christ was lying
dormant in that young man from Alexandria who knew so much less than
they did. They instructed Apollos, and Apollos became second only to
Paul in the power of preaching the Gospel. So the circle widens and
widens. God's grace fructifies from one man to another, spreading
onward and outward. And all Apollos' converts, and _their_
converts, and _theirs_ again, right away down the ages, we may
trace back to Priscilla and Aquila.

So do not let us be anxious about the further end of our deeds--viz.
their results; but be careful about the nearer end of them--viz.
their motives; and God will look after the other end. Seeing that
'thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that,' or how
much any of them will prosper, let us grasp _all_ opportunities
to do His will and glorify His name.

IV. Further, here we have an instance of the heroic self-devotion
which love to Christ k