The Gust That Leads to God
Today’s Verse:
But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. ~Acts 27:14
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 Ocean. He encountered an epic storm that was 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 and allowed the winds to drive the ship. 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 tossing here and there made the brave men on board sense 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 that we bring into our life that we can do without. We need to lighten the weight that we carry with us in order to make it. Cyclones teach us that life is more important than things. The men used helps, or frappings, to tighten the ship 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 to 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! They thought, “It is unlikely that we will make it through this.” Sometimes, God 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 within them a readiness to meet the Lord. Those who boarded that ship as non-God-fearing men were seriously thinking about their soul 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 of Paul during the storm and give him a divine message for that critical moment. Cyclones are God’s means of unlocking God’s care, love, and power. We see the unlocking of prayer. Paul had been praying and had experienced one of the most powerful answers to praying. 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 the 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 on board 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 you 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!
Bible Reading Schedule: Haggai 1-2