Promises and Shipwreck

Observations on Acts 27 - Paul’s Shipwreck

Observe that God’s promise is not the same thing as being able to control your circumstances. People, places, and things are outside the bounds of our control. The ship Paul was on had great difficulty struggling against the wind and storm that came upon it. Paul tried to reason with the ship’s officers but he was ignored. Material possessions were lost when they were thrown overboard. Paul had a promise from God that he would stand before Cesar, but he had no control over people, places, or things in the meantime. 

Observe also that God’s promises are not thwarted by those same people, places and things which we cannot control. Storms do not stop God’s promises. Shipwrecks do not stop God’s promises. Stupid people do not stop God’s promises. 

Observe how God’s promises sustain us in times of crisis. The Scripture says,

“The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.” -Acts 27:20

When hope was gone, Paul was able to confidently share God’s promises that (1) Paul would stand trial before Cesar and (2)that no one on the ship would die. Despite the storm that blotted out all light and hope, Paul declared,

“So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.” -Acts 27:25

Interestingly, God quite literally does not promise smooth sailing. In this case, the promise transcended the apparent circumstance. There was no provision against encountering storms, being a prisoner, being shipwrecked, or even experiencing near-death by drowning. God promised (1) a destination for Paul and (2) the lives of the men aboard the ship. But the pathway to see the promise fulfilled was fraught with danger and calamity!

Do I think in this life that I will escape to a softer fate of less struggle?

This life, arguably, is a storm. 

And a shipwreck. 

And a promise. 

For brief moments we are Jack on the Titanic, yelling about how we can fly, but mostly we are Paul, clinging to a piece of wood from our broken ship, swimming toward shore. Swimming toward the promise. We don’t arrive unscathed, but because of God’s faithfulness we do in fact arrive. Jesus also didn’t arrive unscathed, and he has the scars to show for it.

Intesting, too, that by all natural appearances, it looked like God was not fulfilling his promise. So much so  that “all hope was gone.” At this point, Paul had to walk by faith rather than sight, and he had to trust God’s word to him as more real than the dire situation that was taking place in the natural realm. And he declared, “I believe God. It will be just as he said!” 

Underneath what we see in the natural realm, there is a Kingdom power at work, moving us along ever so softly toward the fulfillment of all of God’s promises to us. There is nothing he has said that he will not also back up. Whether we think we can see it or not, all of life is moving steadily toward the yes and amen of God’s promises to us in Jesus. We are floating, as though on a river of love, toward fulfillment, moment by moment. 

Let us rally, then, to believe God’s word to us over and above whatever circumstances we face today! 

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” -Isaiah 55:10-11