A man who had persecuted the Christians found himself called by God into not only belief, but mission ministry. He went from looking for Christians to imprison to being the one imprisoned for his faith. Finally, the authorities decided his “crimes” and his citizenship meant he had to go see the higher ups, which involved weeks of sea travel in a bad season. The government official immediately in charge of the man’s livelihood while imprisoned was reasonable and somewhat kind, allowing the man’s friends to minister to his needs. However, the official did not listen when the man warned him, “I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” So, they boarded the small ship and, moving from port to port on the Mediterranean, they meandered their way toward the capital city.
True to character, the Mediterranean began to storm – not a small one, but a “Northeaster” that caught the ship in its wind and drove it along without input from the crew. On the second day of the storm, they began to throw cargo overboard, in hopes of lessening the battering of the ship and saving the human lives on board. After many days when neither sun nor stars appeared and the storm continued raging, the people quit eating and gave up all hope of being saved.
Finally, the prisoner stood before them and said, “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 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.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”
The ship did wreck on an island and the story will continue. But you have to ask, where was faith in this story? The prison guard was reasonably kind, but forced Paul (and the others traveling with them) into a tenuous situation; storms on the Mediterranean can be fierce in late fall and winter. The admonition to “keep your courage up” can be hard to live out when you are faced with fear and dread of hunger, shipwreck, and drowning deaths. Paul had to go through this experience not because of his choices, but because of the decisions of other people. Sometimes we have to go through storms because of other peoples’ decisions.
That’s where the proverbial rubber of our faith meets the road of our lives. How do you work through a season when the circumstances of your life are somewhere between challenging and rotten? What do you do when another driver’s decision led to your injuries? What do you do when someone you love makes a decision that destroys a marriage? What do you do when a person’s decision to press forward results in a shipwreck – either literally or figuratively?
You remember.
You remember the times God has been faithful in the shipwrecks and storms of life. You remember God’s faithfulness. You remember God’s good promises to you.
“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.” Paul had heard from God that he would stand trial before Caesar in Rome. He believed God, so he knew he wouldn’t die in the shipwreck. He knew there would be a shipwreck, but he had faith in God’s word to him. He remembered God’s good promises to him.
Today, let us remember God’s faithfulness and promises to us, no matter the shipwreck or storm we are in.
Lord, today we come to you realistic about the struggles, shipwrecks, and storms in our lives. We ask you to show us your kindness and mercy, for these daily struggles storms and shipwrecks oppose feel oppressive all day long, especially when they are not results of our choices. But in the times that we are afraid, overwhelmed, and dismayed, we lay all fears before you and trust in you with all our hearts. What harm could these things bring to us? We remember that with you on our side, we will not be afraid of what comes. The roaring praises of God fill our hearts as we trust his promises. Day after day cruel circumstances distort life and seemingly constantly plot our collapse, lurking in the dark, waiting, spying on movements in secret to take us by surprise, even ready to take our lives. In your fierce anger cast them down to defeat. You’ve kept track of all our wandering and weeping and stored our many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost, for they are all recorded in your book of remembrance. This very moment we call to you for a father’s help so the tide of battle will turn and the enemies, storms, and shipwrecks will flee. This one thing we know: God is on our side! We trust in you, our Lord and we praise you! We trust in the Word of God and we praise you! With you on our side, we will not be afraid of what comes. Our hearts overflow with praise to our God and for your promises. We will always trust in you. So with all my heart, with gratitude for all you’ve done, we thank you. We will do everything we’ve promised you, Lord. For you have saved our souls from death and our feet from stumbling so that we can walk before the Lord bathed in his life-giving light. We ask for your deliverance, protection, grace, strength, and wisdom in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
Lord, show me your kindness and mercy,
for these men oppose and oppress me all day long.
Not a day goes by without somebody harassing me.
So many in their pride trample me under their feet.
But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you
and trust in you with all my heart.
What harm could a man bring to me?
With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes.
The roaring praises of God fill my heart
as I trust his promises.
Day after day cruel critics distort my words;
constantly they plot my collapse.
They lurk in the dark, waiting, spying on my movements in secret
to take me by surprise, ready to take my life.
They don’t deserve to get away with this!
Look at their wickedness, their injustice, Lord.
In your fierce anger cast them down to defeat.
You’ve kept track of all my wandering and my weeping.
You’ve stored my many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost.
For they are all recorded in your book of remembrance.
The very moment I call to you for a father’s help
the tide of battle turns and my enemies flee.
This one thing I know: God is on my side!
I trust in the Lord. And I praise him!
I trust in the Word of God. And I praise him!
What harm could man do to me?
With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes.
My heart overflows with praise to God and for his promises.
I will always trust in him.
So I’m thanking you with all my heart,
with gratitude for all you’ve done.
I will do everything I’ve promised you, Lord.
For you have saved my soul from death
and my feet from stumbling
so that I can walk before the Lord
bathed in his life-giving light.” (Psalm 56 TPT)
(The story of the Apostle Paul shipwrecked is in Acts 27, NIV. Idea h/t Rev. Josh Barclay.)