“. . . Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with much hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship but also of our lives” (Acts 27:10). But the soldiers did not heed Paul’s warning, and they set sail to transport the prisoners, the apostle one of them. A mighty storm arose and beat upon the ship and broke it in pieces by the fifteenth day. The centurion in charge, wanting to spare Paul, ordered the soldiers not to kill the prisoners (lest they escape). Instead, he commanded everyone to jump into the water; those who could swim, swim to the shore; those who couldn’t take hold of some wreckage and float ashore. Every passenger, two hundred and seventy-six, made it safely to land.
Why would God let Paul undergo such an ordeal? His providence. The soldiers on the ship learned of Paul’s faith in God, and it was God’s hand that spared them. The shipwreck brought Paul’s testimony to an island of people who had never heard of God’s saving grace nor witnessed His miracles. Our confidence in God during the dark and stormy days can introduce Him to those who don’t know Him and comfort and encourage those who haven’t yet learned to trust Him in life’s situations fully. God’s providence: When life storms rage against us, God sometimes uses the wreckage of our circumstances to spare those who would otherwise drown in theirs.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts.