Written and posted by Jean-Louis. 1/2011
A study on human relation-ships from Acts 27.
Paul’s shipwreck on Malta.
Life Application. "When our boat shipwrecks"
To understand the previous context, first read Acts chapter 27:1-7.
Picking up at v. 7, we read: "We
made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus.
When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee
of Crete, opposite Salmone. We moved along the coast with difficulty
and came to a place called Fair Havens near the town of Lacea."
The circumstances out of men’s control were such that time had been lost.
Without
being overly insensitive to the unfairness of this life, this is the
stuff reality and life are made of. At one time or another during the
course of our lives every one of us will experience things that are out
of our control. Notice that everyone in the boat was there as a result
of their past thoughts, intentions, actions, reactions, desires, habits,
patterns and life styles resulting from choices they had made, whether
good or bad. Basically, we are all in the same boat.
The question is: Who is going to be in charge of the boat?
There was nothing wrong with the boat. The timing of the voyage was wrong.
Note that after the first unheeded warning, Paul let things run their course.
He didn’t have any other alternative solution to offer.
Not listening to, nor heeding wise godly counsel, advice and warning has its disastrous consequences.
When
finally Paul heard the Angel, at the proper time he relayed the message,
exhorting and encouraging all to be courageous, have faith in God’s
mercy, grace and providence. This shows the compassionate heart of a
true pastor full of grace, mercy and love, ready to intercede for the
people under his spiritual leadership. His revelation was in answer to
intercessory prayer.
The
one who hears the message of warning has the responsibility to be
obedient, advise, exhort and encourage the people believing in faith
that God will accomplish what He said he would do.
However, as far as our receiving the blessings and promises of God, there are conditions.
In
answer to Paul’s prayers, God could have calmed down he wind and the
storm as He had done previously on the Sea of Galilee. Paul himself with
the power of God could have calmed the storm. In either case, the boat
could have reached safely its destination.
Instead, God chose to let the boat shipwreck.
As it
is with us, when this happens, God through that experience wants us to
abandon our old patterns of living, trying to patch up our old ways of
relating to each other. He wants to give us a new lease on life, just as
all who were saved from the shipwreck got on board a new ship. “After 3 months, we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island”.
Chapter 28:11. We can perhaps assume that their lives and relationship
with each other had been tremendously impacted and affected by this
experience. (I have personally experience several really bad storms at
sea and I can testify of the profound effect it had on my life).
What is lost is lost. Give it up. Let it go. Start anew.
(Note: Please understand that I am not advocating or condoning divorce. Sometimes a new boat might be another or new way, perspective of looking at the problem, doing something different about it, looking for help from an objective source of wisdom and discernment found in a good counselor, trusted elder in your congregation. The Lord does not run out of available resources. If we are willing, he is able.)
Warning!
After
we have made a wrong decision in whatever relationship (ignoring God´s
warning, stubbornness, wrong choices, actions or wrong timing perhaps
based on faulty logic, self-interest and/or accurate data), pleasant
beginnings in our new journey can deceive us into believing that
everything is fine until it’s too late and we realize that we are in the
middle of a deadly storm. We must not presume and take God’s grace
lightly and go contrary to God’s will.
“When a gentle wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted”. Verse 13.
Now,
just because God later on gives us a revelation of His will doesn’t
necessarily mean that it will automatically be done in our lives.
Obedience following faith exercised in actions is necessary to be in
God’s will and to do God’s will. There is no such thing as real faith
without a corresponding response through action.
Sometimes,
God has to destroy the false sense of security by removing from us the
props on which we build our lives in order to start rebuilding on the
right foundation.
On the
ship there were free men and men in chains. There were sailors, soldiers
and prisoners. Every one of them thought of doing what was right in
their own eyes guided by their own desires and motives.
Some like the owner had something to gain but could lose everything.
Others
like the sailors didn’t care about the owner’s cargo or profit when it
came to choose between that and their survival. All they wanted to do
was to save their lives. The prisoners had nothing to gain and
everything to lose whatever the outcome of the voyage.
Paul was physically bound by chains but spiritually free in Christ.
It’s only when nothing else worked that all the others started listening and were receptive to Paul message.
Paul was the one with the words of spiritual authority.
- He was calm and contented with his station in life.
- The only one with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
- His life didn’t depend on anybody or anything.
- He had placed himself in God’s hand.
- He was called of God for a purpose, already knew and accepted that suffering was going to be involved in that purpose.
In
conclusion, we can see that God’s grace was at work, demonstrating this
time not His awesome power in wrath and judgment, but His love and mercy
by sparing the lives of all the persons on board the ship, whether free
or bound, criminals or innocent of crimes.
Let us
pray in the same way as Habakkuk did in Chapter 3: 1-2 and ask God to
make us instruments of His mercy and love to others:
Lord, I have heard of your name, I stand in awe of your deeds. O Lord, Renew them in our day, In our time, make them known;In wrath remember mercy.
“Let
us speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that
gives freedom, the perfect law of Christ, the law of love), because
judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been
merciful”. James 2:12.
MERCY TRIUMPHS OVER JUDGMENT. James 2:13
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