There was once a minister of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ whose fervency for sharing this Truth had led him to trouble with the civic authorities. He was en route to the capital of Rome for a trial when his ship encountered a fierce storm and was close to being battered into oblivion. Yet, the Apostle Paul knew that he would survive the storm because God had told him he would stand trial before Caesar in Rome. He may not have known the reason for the storm, but he new the revelation God had given him about the storm. And, despite the rather stressful situation he found himself in, despite not knowing why there was a storm, the revelation he had received from God about that situation was so much more powerful.
In life we don’t always know the reasons for why things happen. But God often uses these situations to reveal something to us. It’s as if God can then remind us, “You belong to me, Child. I will take care of you. I will work miracles. I will never leave or forsake you. I am Emmanuel – God with you.” If we are constantly distracted by the search for the reason in something, we may miss the revelation in it. We may miss the heart of God that visits us in the “dark night of the soul” to remind us how precious and cherished we are and how present He is.
For Paul, the storm led to a shipwreck but, by God’s grace, all 276 people on board were saved. They were washed up onto the island of Malta where the islanders showed them unusual kindness, welcoming with warmth and shelter these strangers who suddenly appeared in the midst of the storm’s fierce fury. God didn’t prevent the storm or the shipwreck, but by his grace, he provided an island with help. God’s grace won’t always prevent consequences in our lives, but he will always give us a place to land.
Sometimes we land in our own “Malta” – an unfamiliar place where maybe we don’t “speak the language” or “understand the time.” Our “Malta” may be a place you never thought you would see and experience. “God! Where are you?!?!” may be our cry. God hears us. We can cry out with the Psalmist:
Lord, bend down to listen to my prayer. I am in deep trouble. I’m broken and humbled, and I desperately need your help. Guard my life, for I’m your faithful friend, your loyal servant for life. I turn to you in faith, my God, my hero; come and rescue me! Lord God, hear my constant cry for help; show me your favor and bring me to your fountain of grace! Restore joy to your loving servant once again, for all I am is yours, O God. Lord, you are so good to me, so kind in every way and ready to forgive, for your grace-fountain keeps overflowing, drenching all your devoted lovers who pray to you. God, won’t you pay attention to this urgent cry? Lord, bend down to listen to my prayer. Whenever trouble strikes, I will keep crying out to you, for I know your help is on the way. God, there’s no one like you; there’s no other god as famous as you. You outshine all others, and your miracles make it easy to know you. (Psalm 86:1-8 TPT)
God,
Thank you for always being our Fountain of Grace when we seem trapped in life’s storms and shipwrecks. Thank you for providing the “Maltas” we need to land on when our life seems overwhelming and out of control. Thank you for your loving voice reminding us we are your children, precious in your eyes and dearly loved. Thank you for being Emmanuel and the one that speaks to us the revelations you need us to hear. Bless us and keep us, make your face shine upon us, be gracious to us, turn your face towards us, and give us your peace, we ask in Christ’s name. Amen.
“How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.” (Psalm 139:17-18 NIV)
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26 NIV)
* The story of Apostle Paul’s shipwreck is in Acts 27 and 28 of the Bible.
* Idea hat tip to Rev. Josh Barclay