"Ahoy mates!" We are going to share in the apostle Paul's sea adventures
today, so prepare to set sail in just a few minutes. First, let me tell
you where we are headed. We are going to travel to Rome - sound romantic?
Well, this is not a romantic journey we are going to be taking today,
for we will be accompanying prisoners on their way to Italy - Paul being
one of them. Sorry ladies, we will not be sailing on a luxury cruiser
either, but rather on a large grain ship from Egypt, carrying wheat and
267 passengers. It will be a somewhat difficult voyage and as we begin
our journey, we will find that the winds are becoming a bit boisterous
and most likely a hindrance to the trip - at least, that's what the apostle
Paul thinks. But alas, he is only a prisoner, so why should we listen
to his plan of waiting for better weather....
Acts 27:9-10 (KJV)
Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because
the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, And said unto them,
Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not
only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless the centurion
believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things
which were spoken by Paul.
We find that Paul's sailing advice was ignored even though he had traveled
by sea many times and already experienced three shipwrecks. As a believer,
Paul wasn't advising these men to wait based on being able to see into
the future, but rather it was the voice of godly experience speaking!
Yet the advice of the "experts" was heeded more than the advice of God's
man... This group was impatient and unwilling to wait for better weather,
as we will soon see. These hasty travelers were unaware that it pays to
listen to God's Word! Likewise, we don't like to be told that we can't
have our own way, do we? We don't appreciate being told to "wait" by God
or anybody else for that matter, and in order to maintain our own travel
plans with a clear conscience, we demean God's man in order to do so by
considering his input of little value. Instead, worldly masters are greatly
respected. In the end, we reject the counsel of God and follow the voice
of majority, with full sail ahead! Soon after though, we find ourselves
in the midst of a life-threatening storm for this very reason... I wonder,
how do you feel when your good counsel is bypassed? How do you think God
feels when we ignore His Word and prudent counsel given to us through
His shepherd? Let's go back to verses 12-13 and see what the men are deciding
and how they will justify their choice in the matter...
And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised
to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and
there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south
west and north west. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that
they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by
Crete.
Hmm…. So the south wind blew softly, did it? It sounds to me like they
were trusting in pleasant surroundings. Have you ever been guilty of that
in your life, dear lady? Supposing that you had obtained your purpose,
have you ever announced, "Well, all conditions appear to be favorable
for me to proceed as I had planned, I might as well move ahead!" Even
so, is that any reason for us to live contrary to God's will?? Ladies,
the devil will always make conditions look ideal so that you and I will
trust in our circumstances rather than the Lord, so that we walk by sight
rather than by faith. Beware when the south wind blows softly in your
life...
Acts 27:14 (KJV)
But not long after there arose a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we
let her drive.
Due to the influence of the "experts", these men set sail along the shore
toward Crete as the south winds blew them along. Things "appeared" to
be going well. Trusting in the conditions surrounding them, and thinking
they had made the right decision, these voyagers got away from the safety
of the port and were ensnared on the open seas by a tempestuous wind -
a "northeaster". The ship was soon caught, the Bible says, and they began
to lose control of a situation they were so confident of initially. Yes,
they found the blustery environment more than they had been prepared to
face and the entire party was at the mercy of the raging storm! They were
forced to drift because it was impossible to steer the ship that was now
helplessly being taken off course. A great lesson for us all…
Isaiah 28:16b (KJV)
...he that believeth shall not make haste.
Well, I can see that at this point you are all a little pale and beginning
to get seasick, so we will leave off here today and continue sailing tomorrow
on our journey to Rome with Paul. But before I leave, I have a question
for you… Have you found that your life is sailing out of control these
days? Have you drifted off course, Christian woman? Have you found that
you have been hasty in proceeding forth in certain areas in your life
where you should have waited? Supposing yourself to be a master, perhaps
you’ve followed your own estimations too confidently only to end up tossed
to and fro in confusion. Have you found yourself more eager to heed the
counsel of the "experts" rather than accepting the warnings of God's man?
It wasn't long after this group set sail that Paul's advice was proven
right... Nor will it take long in our lives before we will realize we
should have humbly listened to qualified counsel! One of the reasons Paul
suggested they wait to sail is because during that time of year, in the
early fall and winter, the winds became fiercer and the ships were not
large enough to withstand the winter storms of the Mediterranean. So too,
we Christians fail to consider the fact that we might not be competent
enough to handle life’s tempests. We must be certain we are spiritually
equipped to face the various problems that will arise when we proceed
in a particular direction. Hence, there is much wisdom to seeking a skilled
and godly navigator. As the old expression goes, "Haste makes waste"!
May you learn to listen before you launch out on your endeavors!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2004
