October 02, 2023 | Be On Mission
All 276 People Swim or Drift to Land
Scripture: Acts 27:39-44(NIV)
39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40 Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41 But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf.
42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.
Devotional
Having survived a raging storm for two weeks, with virtually no food nor hope of survival, the passengers and their ship finally ran aground on the sandbar of the small island of Malta, five hundred miles west of the much larger and safer island of Crete. Paul had correctly warned them to stop for the winter at Fair Havens, Crete saying, “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” (v. 10). They ignored him and tempted fate, sailing back into the storm.
Fourteen days later, when everyone on board had given up all hope of surviving, Paul encouraged them to eat and relayed a promise straight from God, “But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed” (v. 22). This too was coming to pass. Then Paul spared the lives of the soldiers when he reported to the centurion that the sailors were planning an escape in the lifeboat.
What was Paul’s reward for these acts of prophetic courage? The soldiers wanted to kill him and all the other prisoners. A dead prisoner would be tolerated by the Roman government. But an escaped prisoner would have to be paid for with the lives of the guards.
Enter the centurion, Julius. When this voyage began and the sailing was smooth, Julius showed kindness to Paul, allowing him to get off the ship and go to his friends (v. 3). Now, at the end of the voyage when the ship was destined for destruction, Julius intervened to spare the life of Paul and the other prisoners (v. 43). Partly because of their friendship, all 276 passengers swam or floated safely to land.
As a centurion, Julius had one job: get Paul and the other prisoners to Rome for incarceration, trial or punishment, and execute them if they tried to escape. But God softened his heart. Julius was still in charge of all the soldiers, and Paul was still among the prisoners. But a sense of respect developed between the two men.
Is there anybody in your life who is an adversary? What is the foundation of your conflict? Who has the power in the relationship? How might the Lord be challenging you to develop more respect between the two of you?
Poem
All Reach Shore
All sail each day upon life’s sea
Some zephyr winds
Some boredom slag
Some clipper runs
Some stormy wave
Some upper hand
Some in the hold
Some frightened dread
Some swimmers bold
Some love the journey without thought
Of venture’s end
Of fellow crew
Of rigging, ropes
Of galley stock
Of icy cold
Of sun’s burnt hot
Of safety cove
Of future shore
Yet some with wisdom of the sea
Plan voyage well
Plan vessel stocked
Plan safe rigged ship
Plan distant moor
Plan not alone
Plan to endure
Plan others save
Plan all reach shore
