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Today’s reading is Acts 27:1-28:31.

“But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for th eland, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land” (Acts 27:43-44).

That is phenomenal. 276 people in a shipwreck and every single one survived. Boy they sure were lucky to have all that flotsam and jetsam to help them get to land. I can’t help but remember Acts 27:24. “God has granted you all those who sail with you.” God did this. What intrigues me is trying to actually find God in the saving. What did He do exactly? I don’t know. Did he give those who could swim extra strength? Did He do it miraculously or had He prepared them for this moment all their lives so they would have the right amount of strength? Did he provide the flotsam at just the right place?

I just don’t know the answer to these questions. All I know is God was working. God did the saving. I may not be able to see God working in my life today. But I can take comfort that He is. Since that is the case, I think I can keep working too (cf. Philippians 2:12-13).

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Acts 27:1-28:31.

Acts 27:43-44 is one of the greatest examples of the providence of God I have ever read. There were 276 people on Paul’s ship that went down and all survived. The Bible says, “He [the centurion] ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land.”

WOW!

This wasn’t coincidence. This was God’s plan. In Acts 27:23-24, an angel told Paul everyone on the ship would survive. However, it wasn’t because of dumb luck or coincidence, but because of God. In God’s foreseeing care and guardianship over Paul, He granted everyone’s life on that ship. However, there is no miraculous work. The hand of God did not reach down from the heavens and lift the ship out of the water and rest it safely on dry land. Rather, those who could swim maintained their strength enough to get to dry land. Those who couldn’t were somehow able to find pieces of wood and float to the shore.

No doubt, the unbelievers were all amazed at their good fortune. How on earth could 276 people all survive a shipwreck? Paul and his fellow believers knew. God did it. He worked providentially.

We can trust God to care for us. I don’t know how He makes everything work, but I know He has promised to make everything work together for good in Romans 8:28. Things may be going smoothly or my life may feel like a shipwreck, but I know God is with me and cares for me. He will see me through. He can maintain my strength to get me to shore or He can find me some flotsam to float on. God will get me through. I just have to trust Him.

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC

P.S. One of my shepherds also commented on Romans 8:28 in his brief article this week on the Franklin church’s website. Check it out.

P.P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading.

Acts 27:9-10 used to give me a great deal of trouble.

“Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, ‘Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives’” (ESV)

After all, here was Paul, an inspired apostle, saying there would be great loss of life on this ship. But, in the end, no life was lost. Acts 27:44 says, “And so it was that all were brought safely to land” (ESV).

This actually teaches me something about apostleship and inspiration. I don’t know why I have ever referred to the apostles as the “inspired apostles” as if somehow everything they said came directly from God. The Bible never calls them that. And yet, I have heard that taught and I have said it myself. This passage, however, demonstrates that the apostles were not inspired. The Bible teaches that the Scriptures the apostles wrote were inspired in II Timothy 3:16-17, but it never says the apostles themselves were inspired.

When Paul told the captain there would be no loss of life, he wasn’t speaking for God. His every word was not inspired. Only what God wanted him to write down as Scripture was. Therefore, God did not fail here. Paul did not fail. Paul was simply relying on his knowledge of sea travel to make this statement. Of course, it would have been true had God not intervened.

When Paul later told his shipmates no loss of life would come, that was true because that came from the angel of God.

Anyway, the whole point of this is to clarify our language. Paul wasn’t an inspired apostle. Neither were any of the other apostles. Rather, God used the apostles and prophets to record His inspired word. We had better listen to it.

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC