Category: Devotions

What is going overboard?

Acts 27:18 “We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.”

What would you get rid of first?

The ship was in danger of sinking so they began to lighten it by throwing all their merchandise, the grain and goods that were heading to Rome.

It is amazing how much you can carry when all is well. When the storm strikes it is then you realise that some things are really heavy:

• Responsibilities: the things that people give you to carry. You have been trusted and people are relying on you.
• Expectations: you are a ship after all, this is what you do, the obvious things and the unquestionable things, you just have to carry them.
• Investments: things you have given to and spent time with and what others have made in you also, it is hard to let go of what has happened.

If letting go of just one thing which is either a responsibility or an expectation or what you have invested your time and money in would lighten your life so much you feel you will thus survive, then maybe you are carrying way too much?!

Are you carrying what God is asking you to carry?

You may waken up to a storm today and it could be that you have to lighten your life, to make some radical adjustments.

If you cannot handle disappointment then you will never let go. Sometimes disappointing somebody is exactly what you need to do in order to keep sailing through the storm.

Throw something overboard.

Hoisting, Frapping and Anchoring – which do you have to do today?

Acts 27:17 “so the men hoisted the lifeboat aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along.”

 

The sandbars of Syrtis were well known and seamen everywhere feared sailing near them. To hit them meant you were doomed; it was a point of no return. To hit one of the sandbars meant you would be stuck in the middle of nowhere, miles from the shore. They would have had grain for food on the ship but they would have died from dehydration, water all around but none to drink. The storm was pushing them ever nearer this fate and they were very much afraid.

So they hoisted. Their small boat, their lifeboat, was the last way out, losing this or it being damaged beyond repair would mean they had absolute no security. Sometimes it is important to take care of your security. Shepherds need shepherding, parents need parenting and those who look tirelessly invincible are often not. That person who brings you stability may need a little help at times. But also your immortal soul needs refreshing, your heart needs guarding and your mind needs staying on God. Don’t lose what is the most important part of your life. Take care of that person. Take care of you.

So they frapped. They wrapped the ship with cords and ropes to keep it together. They bound it so that it wouldn’t split open. They were taking precautionary measures. They were helping the ship. In any storm of life there are things you can do. You are not doomed yet. It is not over for you. You can love. You can bind. You can wrap your life in the truth of God’s word and not what people say.

So they anchored. That doesn’t mean they were chained to the seabed and could not move. This was the sea anchor or the drift anchor, or better still, this was their brakes. It was an object that dragged in the water behind the boat that kept the boat in a straight line and gave it less freedom to turn and bounce around in the storm. In a storm we all need to know where the parachute is. Basically, stop running frantically, slow down and keep things level and as steady as possible. In quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15).

If you are in a storm today try hoisting, frapping and anchoring, you might have to do all 3!

Where is your lifeboat?

Acts 27:16 “As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure”

Each ship would be towing a smaller boat (a lifeboat) behind them. In a storm you can imagine the scene; the boat would be crashing against the ship and in danger of causing damage to itself and even to the ship, it would be taking on water and submerging. The crew and passengers were all trying to keep the boat secure but it looks like they were failing.

Where is your security today?

Is it in a person, a job, finances, your home or family?

Anyone of these can at times struggle in the storms of life as much as you do. Storms can take you to the edge where you are trying to secure your security that has now become very insecure.

Of course there is only ever One who can be totally relied upon for our security and it is God alone.

We can imagine those on board trying desperately to balance the smaller boat, maybe if they could do this they could get to the island and to safety. All their best efforts are failing. Their lifeboat is becoming a death boat. Hopes are fading. Ideas are running out. If it carries on like this all they will have left is a cry of mercy. When your lifeboat is out of control then everything is hopeless. Make sure your lifeboat is God.

 

Drifting

Acts 27:15 “The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.”

Amplified: and when the ship was caught in it and could not head against the wind [to gain stability], we gave up and [letting her drift] were driven along.

You can see them come. Storms.

Some choose to run from them but are ultimately caught by them. It is hard to outrun a storm that is heading your way.

You can have 2 options in a storm:

1. Face it and try to keep everything balanced in your life.
2. Drift.

Paul’s ship struggled to stay balanced and so it drifted.

My thoughts on drifting:

1. Drifters will reach any destination but probably not their chosen one.
2. Drifters have tried but failed so have given up.
3. Drifters have permitted the outside circumstance to dictate their lives.
4. Drifters had huge potential, dreams and purpose.
5. Drifters are drifting because of perhaps only one bad decision that meant they are today where they should never have been.

TYPHOONS

Acts 27:14 “Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island.”

The harbour faced both southwest and northwest and it was quite unique meaning that at certain times of the year the harbour was the safest place to be. Even though Paul wanted to get to Rome he advised against continuing from the harbour, but he was in the minority.

So they lifted their anchor and sailed onward, close and safe (so they thought) to the island.

Then it happened … the typhoon. It didn’t come from the open sea pushing them against the rocks where the ship would be broken up. It came from across Crete and pushed them away from their intended purpose of keeping close to the island.

My thoughts:

1. Typhoons happen in typhoon season: wisdom or perhaps common-sense tells us when the spiritual attacks are likely to come, preparation is everything.
2. When typhoons happen it is not business as usual: spiritual attacks debilitate and adjustment is needed.
3. Typhoons can begin as gentle winds: spiritual attacks can be birthed out of a place of deception.
4. Typhoons can receive descriptive names: the identity of spiritual attacks is important for the overcoming of them.
5. Typhoons push you away: spiritual attacks will always push you away from your purpose.

WIND

 

Acts 27:13 “When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.”

 

I was reflecting last night on my childhood when my father before 10pm and bed time would go into the kitchen and make some supper and listen to the shipping forecast.

I am not sure why he did that. We didn’t live anywhere near the coast and there was no fisherman in our family. But that was when I began to hear of north westerly and south winds in some place I had never heard of.

I have friends who live on a small island and the wind forecasts is really important to them as it even causes them to change their route because certain roads may be battered by the sea waves racing in.

Some people go through their whole life understanding and adjusting to the storms and winds of our amazing world.

Some people are battered by life.

Some people have no experience of that.

Some people know that winds are not pure enemies. Some appreciate the gentle breezes that enable the motivation or provocation to move into new chapters of life.

Some people don’t like any change at all.

Some people get deceived by the winds of life. They think the gentle wind will continue and they set out in a direction not realising that it can all change in a moment.

Some people remain unmoved.

My thinking:

1. The natural world is to be understood and so is the spiritual world.
2. We are foolish if we don’t believe in spiritual enemies.
3. Wisdom is the key.
4. Our spiritual enemies ultimately desire to deceive us.
5. Those who don’t experience winds, never go anywhere.

 

Minority position

Acts 27:12 “Since the harbour was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbour in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest.”

Do you ever wake up in the morning and realise that today you are alone? In the standing up for your conviction, for justice and for truth, you look around to see if there is anyone else supporting your cause and there is no one. You are in the minority.

Paul was definitely in the minority. The majority ruled.

According to the Bible, God’s people are always a remnant. But it seems that’s how it was always meant to be. That’s how we see the miracles happen. For example, if you want to see the God of Mount Carmel then you are going to have to get used to being alone. Often those who should stand with you are hiding in caves.

One of God’s names in the Bible is that of ‘the Lord of Hosts’ but maybe it should be ‘the Lord of the hidden Hosts’ because often we cannot see the strength behind us.

Paul was in the minority and the majority decided and still God didn’t step in. There are times in your minority position that the situation goes against you and life gets worse. But hold on because the Lord of Hosts though hidden is waiting for the perfect moment to bring about His purposes.

So really you are alone but you are not and God is not there but He really is. That’s the minority position and it is actually a good place to be in even when it looks like the majority rule.

What kind of leader are you following?

Acts 27: 11 “But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.”

Following someone who has much to gain can be unwise. The final decision was left to the centurion but he ruled that they should follow the experts. The pilot and the owner had goods on board, they were the middle men contracted to transport grain perhaps.

Leaders should lose more than gain; give more than be given and learn more than they teach.

Be careful the type of leader you are following lest you become like them.

What kind of leader are you following?

Acts 27: 11 “But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.”

 

Following someone who has much to gain can be unwise. The final decision was left to the centurion but he ruled that they should follow the experts. The pilot and the owner had goods on board, they were the middle men contracted to transport grain perhaps.

 

Leaders should lose more than gain; give more than be given and learn more than they teach.

 

Be careful the type of leader you are following lest you become like them.

Who is your teacher?

Acts 27:10 “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”

We trust those who have experience of going through worst times than the present storm. Paul was simply speaking from experience. In 2 Corinthians 11 he tells us that he had been shipwrecked 3 times and spent a night and a day perhaps clinging on to some floating wood. People who can be best described as walking with a limp because of life’s experiences can be trusted more than those who have had victory after victory. For lessons and wisdom is gained in failure.

Job tells us in 27:11 that he will teach us the power of God. I would much rather be taught the power of God from someone like Job than someone who has never had trouble or pretends so.

Wisdom is born in the anvil of life and I would rather spend time with people who have experienced the vice and who have been shipwrecked than those too lazy to board a ship to go anywhere!