Surviving a Storm

Today's Verse:

But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. ~Acts 27:14 

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Maritime travel can be exciting and adventurous. It can also be a harrowing experience if you are in a major storm out on the open seas. The bobbing up and down of the ship, combined with massive waves thrashing against it, will have you on edge and wondering if “this could be it.” Paul was on a ship headed to Italy via the Mediterranean Sea. He encountered an epic storm named Euroclydon. In this storm, we see a powerful lesson on surviving a cyclone. 

We see the unleashed. 

The fury of this storm was unleashed on Paul and all the occupants of the ship. The wind was described as “tempestuous.” It was so strong that the mariners could not maintain control of the ship and allowed the winds to drive it. The ship was exceedingly tossed with the tempest. It was a violent storm that none of the men on board had ever experienced. The howling winds, the massive waves, and the ship tossing here and there made the brave men on board realize how helpless they were. All storms are custom-designed by God for us. The stronger and prouder we are, the more powerful the winds that God will send our way. God unleashes a cyclone to make us realize how frail, human, and weak we are. 

We see the unloading. 

On the second day, they unloaded the ship. All of the valuable goods were tossed overboard to lighten the ship. On the third day, the tackling of the ship was thrown overboard. Cyclones teach us that there are unnecessary things we bring into our lives that we can do without. We need to lighten the weight we carry in order to make it. Cyclones teach us that life is more important than things. The men used “helps” or frapping to tighten the ship and keep it from falling apart. These men were at the mercy of the storm! More importantly, they needed the mercies of God as they wondered in fear if they would make it. The greatest unloading in a storm is when we humble ourselves before God and, out of the depths, cry out to Him for help. 

We see the unlikely. 

“And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.” What a frightening conclusion: all hope that we should be saved was then taken away! They thought, “It is unlikely we will make it through this.” God sometimes has to bring us to “the unlikely” in order to break us. The fate of these men was in the hands of God. Those who were God-fearing were scared, but their faith instilled in them a readiness to meet the Lord. Those who boarded that ship as men who were not God-fearing were seriously thinking about their souls and eternity. 

We see the unlocking. 

“But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them....” God sent His angel to stand alongside Paul during the storm and gave him a divine message for that critical moment. Cyclones are God’s means of unlocking His care, love, and power. We see the unlocking of prayer. Paul had been praying and experienced one of the most powerful answers to prayer. We see the unlocking of encouragement. Paul told them to be of good cheer: there shall be no loss of any man’s life on this ship. We see the unlocking of faith. Paul told them, “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” We see the unlocking of the power of God. God was not finished with Paul! Paul received assurance that he would make it to Italy. God gave the lives of every man onboard to Paul. God did not need to still the cyclone to show how powerful He is. God preserved every man’s life through an unforgettable experience to bring them to the realization of His power to save. You might be in a cyclone that God has sent to help you unlock His power in your life. We can survive a cyclone when we are still and know that He is God! 

Have a dependent God Morning! 

Reading Schedule: Jeremiah 7-9

#Acts #Dependence #Faith #GodsPower #Storms #Waiting