All hope was abandoned...

Acts 27:1-20 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius. ² And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. ³ The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. ⁴ From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary. ⁵ When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. ⁶ There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. ⁷ When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; ⁸ and with difficulty sailing past it we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

⁹ When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them, ¹⁰ and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” ¹¹ But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. ¹² Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

¹³ When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore.

¹⁴ But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo; ¹⁵ and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. ¹⁶ Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. ¹⁷ After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. ¹⁸ The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo; ¹⁹ and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. ²⁰ Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

In today’s text those who were taking Paul to Rome had used poor judgment concerning the conditions for sailing. Their situation was bleak, the text says:  Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.      But God had a different plan. The account continues: 

When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss.  Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.  For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me,  saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’  Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.  But we must run aground on a certain island.”

Often it seems that it is not until we have abandoned all hope that we see the miraculous hand of God intervening in our circumstance. The truth is He is with us and watching over us every day. It is just that until we see no other hope we often fail to see God. We attribute our normal successes to normal things. We credit ourselves, our own abilities or the abilities of others. We will even give credit to luck before acknowledging God’s provision and protection.

God had a plan and a purpose for Paul’s life. In today’s account those who were traveling with Paul benefitted from God’s hand of protection on Paul’s life. If we, like Paul will be committed to God’s purpose for our life, if we will submit fully to Him and His will, there will be times when others around us also benefit from God’s grace, His provision and His protection. If we like Paul are in tune with God, if we are walking and living in His presence and in communion with Him, then He will reveal His plans to us as He did to Paul. Whether by a vision, a dream, a visitation or the still small voice of God speaking to our spirit, God will reveal Himself and His will. Amos 3:7 says: Surely the Lord God does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets.    God doesn’t always give us all the details. He doesn’t tell us the exact time of everything that will happen. If we knew everything we might run from our purpose or we might once again become dependent on our own abilities and our own strength, we might again begin to follow our own plans rather than His.

We need to trust fully in God, to be yielded and submitted to Him. Jesus says:    “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”(Matthew 11:28-30)   The yoke of Christ is not an instrument of bondage and restriction. Though He says “you will find rest for your souls”, the yoke of Christ is not an instrument of slumber. A yoke is an instrument used to  join two together to multiply the ability and production compared to working alone. The rest we receive comes not from inactivity but rather from yielding and letting the Lord lead.  We have a choice, we can live each day in our own strength, following our own plan and we can wait until all hope is abandoned before we turn to God. Or we can trust Him in all that we do. We can listen for and yield to His plan. Isaiah 55:8-9 says: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.    Jeremiah 29:11-13 says:    For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.  

In today’s text there was a great consequence, a great deal of loss, anxiety and suffering because the men followed their own plans rather than God’s plan. We need to choose whether to follow God’s will and His plan or to live with the consequences of our own plans. Sometimes, like Paul, our lives will be affected by the decisions and choices of others. In those times too we need to hold fast to the purposes of God, trusting Him fully, knowing like Jesus Himself knew: “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above”(John 19:11) Matthew 10:29-31 says:   Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.      Nothing happens without the Father’s knowledge, nothing happens without His permission. He gives us permission to choose which way, which path to follow, His higher way or our own.  

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You for the revelation of the plan You have for my life. Thank You that You are never too late but always on time. Even when I have abandoned all hope, You are hope for the hopeless, rest for the weary and there is peace and protection by Your side. I gladly take on the yoke of Christ to walk and work in Your will. Amen