Stuck Between a Storm and a Hard Place, ...and Snakes too!
Okay, there's really no sharks in this blog post.
(...neither are there two men wrestling on a wooden platform in the middle of a stormy sea!).
But there IS a man at sea caught in a storm, who, arguably, is about to have the worst day ever!
Wait.
Let me back up and explain.
His name is Paul and he's an apostle. In Acts 24-25, we find him falsely accused of a crime and tried in court. During his trial, he appeals to Ceasar, (which means he wants the chance to appeal his case before the emperor of Rome, Nero). As a result, Paul, along with several other prisoners under the guard of a tough centurion named Julius and his imperial regiment, is placed on a ship heading to Italy.
The Journey at sea has not been smooth, but by the middle of Acts 27, all hell has broken loose at sea and it looks like the ship is going to sink. At one point, we read, “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.”
Cue the despair.
Paul, however, hasn’t slipped into despondency. In the midst of what should be a hopeless situation, he’s feeling hopeful and explains why in verse 23-26, “…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.”
This is obviously encouraging news, and God did indeed rescue them all. The rescue however involved all 276 men jumping into rough waters, waters so powerful that its forceful waves tore apart a large Alexandrian ship. Yet, all of them "..held on to planks or debris from the broken ship" and made it to shore safely.
I have to be honest here, I was expecting more. More from God!
When Paul stood up to address the men on the boat, I was hoping and expecting to hear him say, “Men, I urge you to keep up your courage because an angel of the God to whom I belong and serve told me last night, ‘hey don’t worry, God will miraculously blow this wind away, bring out the sun, and give us the exact amount of wind we need to gain smooth sailing all the way to Italy. He also told me that I will be found innocent and released as a prisoner! Praise Jesus!”
But he says none of that, right? Instead the message from God reveals that things are about to get worse because the ship is going down. It reminds me of the scene from the movie “Titanic” when the engineer realizes that more than four compartments have flooded. Remember the statement he makes? "Sir, I assure you. Titanic WILL founder" Well, that’s exactly what Paul is facing here.
Here’s what I want to point out from this account: GOD’S DELIVERANCE DOESN’T ALWAYS INVOLVE THE SPECTACULAR. Certainly there are times when God will show up by parting the Red Sea, or by raising the dead, or even show up in fire falling down from heaven.
More often than not, however, the miracle of God in our lives is that He meets us IN the storm and stands next to us THROUGH the storm, so that even though the waves swell around us and the ship we’re on breaks apart, IT WILL NOT HARM US OR DROWN US!
That's my "peace" of advice for you this week, especially those of you who might be stepping into some drama!
Rest in the reassurance of God’s promise where He says, “Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.” (Psalm 91:7-11)
