Changi Chapel

Are you tempest-tossed or are you conviction-driven?

In Acts 27:14, we see how the tempest called Euroclydon (which means “a violent agitation” in Greek) brought everyone on the ship to a point of despair and hopelessness. It seemed certain that they were all doomed to die because the tempest was severe and unrelenting for several days.

When everyone else on the ship was resigned to death by shipwreck, Paul was confident that God will help them reach land safely, because of a vision in which God assured Paul that he would stand before Caesar shortly (Acts 27:24).

When all the 275 individuals on the ship were tempest-tossed, Paul was brimming with confidence that God will see them through this storm. He even urged them to eat – verse 33 tells us how fear and hopelessness had deprived them of their appetite for 14 days!

Are we like others tempest-tossed or resigned to fate, when things get out of hand – or will we like Paul believe God’s promises and be confident that God will see us through?

Can an entire community or nation be safe because of one man?

Acts 27 shows us how God spared the 276 individuals on board the ship from near-certain death by shipwreck because of this one man, Paul. Because Paul was on board, divine providence ensured that the storm was contained and that they made it safely to land.

Often the presence of one Godly man, will make a difference to an entire community. We see in the book of Genesis how God used one man called Joseph to save the entire Jewish nation from death by famine.

Are we making a difference in the context God has placed us? Will others see that because of us God intervened favorably in a difficult context or situation? Are we truly salt and light to those around us?

Will God see us through even when others make mistakes that affect us?

The shipwreck that Paul and others experienced was completely avoidable. Paul had warned them not to embark on the journey but the Centurion chose to believe the ship owner more than Paul – he decided to believe a professional more than the prophet!

But even though this terrible mistake was made despite Paul’s advice, God’s purposes prevailed and the damage was contained. 1 John 2:17 says ” but whoever does the will of God lives forever” – Paul was in the center of God’s will and in it was safety. Even though others messed it up, God ensured Paul was safe and unharmed.

Will we rest assured that when we do the will of the Lord no one can harm us, even if they messed up things concerning us?

That is the assurance every child of God has, when they choose to do the will of the Father in heaven!

Will you today?

John B Samuel