It is that time of year again and we are starting to get battered with typhoon after typhoon coming into our country. It’s definitely something most of us don’t look forward to but nothing quite compared to the storm Paul experienced and accounted for in Acts 27:27-44.
Imagine being one of the passengers on that boat, battered days on end by turbulent winds and violent waves dab smack in the middle of the sea. It is no pleasure cruise by any definition yet this storm reveals powerful truths that we can hang on to. And it is by hanging on to these lessons that could help us get past any storm we encounter.
1.) HANG TIGHT (Acts 27:27-32): When the going gets tough it’s very tempting to just throw in the towel, blame it on the circumstance and abandon ship. Situations like this reveal where your true anchor is dropped: Is your faith anchored on your ability to row that lifeboat against the storm or is it anchored on One who will deliver you from the storm? Let your grip on Jesus be stronger than the storm that is battering you.
2.) REPLENISH YOUR STRENGTH (Acts 27:33-38): Strength that is not replenished withers away, and if Christ is the source of our strength then we must always make sure that we nourish our relationship with Him. This is done through an active and conscious effort to grow more in God’s Word so we can get to anchor our faith in him on a deeper level. That way, when the storm hits, you’ll have the strength to hang on.
Consider as well what you choose to carry on your ship. If these are things that will weigh you down in your walk with The Lord, then those are better thrown overboard.
3.) LEAVE NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY (Acts 27:39-41): Notice that even when day started to break and Paul and the other Sailors started to see land, they still worked as hard if not harder as when the ship was still in the middle of the sea. The closer they were to land; the more dangers were presented in the situation. Even when land is in sight, as long as you aren’t on land yet, NEVER BE COMPLACENT. Continue to hang tight to the Lord and NEVER TAKE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM FOR GRANTED. Look at what happened to Solomon and many others who lost their focusl and started to compromise. Let your only compromise be to never compromise your faith with The Lord.
4.) GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL (Acts 27:42-44): Whether it is the strength to jump overboard and run to shore or by stepping on planks and pieces – God will always make a way for you. No storm could ever match God’s power and His everlasting love for you. No matter what the odds may look like, they are always in our favor because be it on land, on the ship or even in the middle of the storm- God is with us.
