God's Say-So

“For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying . . . God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.” Acts 27:23–24

Dismissing Paul’s warning of impending danger for the ship and passengers (v. 10), the centurion took the shipmaster’s advice and set sail with his prisoners. They soon encountered a fierce storm and were faced with the need to lighten the load to save the ship, beginning with the cargo, then the ship’s tackle, and, finally, the food. Paul reminded them that they should have listened to his warning but said God’s angel told him the storm would not take any lives, only the ship. God spared the passengers, but the storm destroyed the boat. Rebellion carries a heavy price.

Listening to others, rejecting God’s counsel, and sailing our way, often leads to treacherous waters; we toss everything feasible overboard to avoid an inevitable shipwreck. We could have escaped the wreckage, grief, and poor choice consequences if we only had listened to God. So, what does God’s child do when life’s storm has broken their ship, and they find themself amid the rubble in troubled waters? Like Paul, know whose you are, remembering God said He would never leave us. Believe what His Word says; turn back to and trust the Maker of everything that exists. He has authority over the waters’ boundaries, the rain, the winds—anything and anyone against us. Rebellion carries a high cost, but God can use the brokenness of your situation for something good: people caught in your circumstance may be clinging to and staying afloat with a piece of your wreckage and needs to hear about God’s saving grace. Tell them.