But soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land. And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind…
Acts 27: 13-38
Though Paul warned the centurion of the dangers of sailing at the time of year, Julius decided to go with a ship sailing to another port. When weather that appeared to be good for sailing arrived, the ship decided to sail. But, it was not long until the weather turned bad and the ship was too far from the harbor they had left. As the storm became more violent, the crew began to lighten the ship to make it more manageable. The storm increased in intensity and the crew, unable to maneuver the ship now, worried about running aground and the ship being torn to pieces and the people being drowned. After two weeks of this intense storm, the people on board were weak, tired and, hungry. As the crew was checking the depth of the sea, they noticed the depth was becoming more shallow, indicating they were approaching land or a reef. Panic gripped the people on board at the thought of being stuck upon a reef and the waves battering the ship to pieces. But, Paul, having been told by the Holy Spirit of the disaster that was upon them, also, told Paul that no one would be lost, only the ship and its cargo. As dawn broke, Paul urged the people to eat something to give them strength to survive the sea when they had to swim. Paul, then, reiterated that no one would perish if they did what they were told. At that, the 276 people on board were encouraged, ate and, threw the rest of any cargo and food that remained on the ship. Now, it will be a little while until the ship runs aground on a shoal, which we will look at in our next devotional. The Apostle Paul was uniquely positioned to help these people on the ship with his encouraging words despite the raging storm around them. Paul was experienced with working with “impossible odds.” Even today, some Christians may feel the effects of a “raging storm” in their lives. As Paul was led and comforted by the Holy Spirit in this disaster, so, Christians today must trust in their Savior to protect them during their “raging storms.” If you are in any need, no matter its severity, our Lord Jesus will care for you. Place all your faith in Him this day and see what He will do for you! Source: S C Ball August 16, 2023
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