Hey Everyone,
has been wonderful to see how God used ordinary men to build His church and
bring glory to Himself. For me, it has been a good reminder of how The Holy
Spirit can give strength and provision to a believer that they would not
otherwise have. I have also been blessed by the apostle’s determination to
live for God no matter what circumstances they faced.
One story that really left an impression on me was the account of Paul’s
journey to Rome. You may recall he was a prisoner on a ship and in the midst
of the journey those on board find themselves in the midst of a life
threatening storm. The narrative found in chapter twenty seven is so
detailed you almost feel like you are on the ship. One of the things that
God laid on my heart was how the knowledge that God gives to man can combine
beautifully with the sovereignty of God.
Consider the things that those on board did to save the ship from breaking
apart at sea:
* Ran the ship under the shelter of an island
* Secured the skiff
* Used cables to undergird the ship
* Lightened the ships load
* Abstained from food
* Dropped anchors
I know nothing about sailing but even I can read this account and recognize
that there were experienced sailors on the ship who drew from their
knowledge and took actions to save their lives. This is knowledge that God
blessed them with. To be on the ship must have been terrifying. At one point
we are told that everyone on board had lost hope of surviving. They were
doing all that they could, but when they contrasted their efforts with the
might power of God’s sea, hope was lost. Yet in the midst of all these
efforts we learn of something else going on behind the scenes through the
words that Paul shared:
“After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and
said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you
would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to
keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship
will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and
whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must
stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all
who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God
that it will happen just as he told me.” Acts 27:21-25
God had His plan and that plan would not be thwarted. In the midst of all
the crews efforts to save the ship, God, was working out His own plan. He
had his purposes and to accomplish them He would save Paul and the crew so
that Paul would be brought to Rome to witness about Jesus Christ.
As I have considered the account of Paul’s journey to Rome, I have
acknowledged (yet again) that I am forgetful. How often do I forge ahead,
carrying my own thoughts and plans into a situation, all the while having
little consideration of God’s plans, purposes and that He too is “moving”?
How quickly can I lose hope because I size up my efforts and see that they
are feeble in the face of my difficulties? How selfishly do I sometimes
think about what is happening around me and that my plans and purposes are
paramount when I should be considered what God may be doing in the middle of
my toil and trouble?
God is gracious to give us stories like Pau’s trip to Rome to remind us that
we are never alone in our struggles and that we are indeed in His hands. We
may “undergird” ourselves, “lighten our loads” so that we can deal with the
adversity, fast, hold on to things in the midst of our storms, and do all we
can to direct our paths, but we are laboring in vein if our hearts are not
fully acknowledging God and his ways and purposes. God gives us knowledge
and wisdom that is to be used in submission to His will.
If you are in a “storm” right now I encourage you to press on and do all
that you can…in God’s strength, all the while uttering, “Not my will but
thine be done.”