“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed, That I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” - Psalm 27: 13-14 (NKJV).
Yesterday we saw how the Apostle Paul warned the centurion, ship owner and captain not to proceed with a dangerous journey only to be ignored, which all ended in disaster (Acts 27). Today we see another aspect of Paul’s final journey that can speak to any of us.
As the storm raged on (verse 18) everyone in the ship was down with worry. Around 60 AD travelling on the high seas was rudimentary, relying much on Mother Nature. There were no compasses and life jackets. The 276 passengers on board, their ship battered by the savage winds, despaired and feared that all hope was gone. “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved” (verse 20).
But there was one man who was not as worried. Paul had already heard from God that all lives would be saved. Seeing everyone distraught with worry and fearing imminent death, he decided to cheer them up. “Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me” (verse 23-25).
Here is the point. In a time of great distress Paul asked all the sailors not to despair but have faith that God would deliver them. Today as back then there are storms raging all around us. There are financial storms caused by the corona virus pandemic. There are storms in relationships that are disintegrating. There are storms from personal loss. Yet, just as then, God is speaking to us not to despair, that all will end well. Everything is fine.
After Paul had delivered his message of hope he told the ship captain to look for a ground to land. And unlike the last time the captain listened. And all the 276 lives were saved!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, today, just as was then with storms raging, you gave Paul a message of hope, and lives were saved; I here pray that I look up to you in the midst of storms raging around me, that you will deliver me and all around to safety, because of the faith in Christ Jesus!
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16/04/2024 - 17/04/2024 All day“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8)
Have you had a moment when you felt you were out of time? It is “too late” is perhaps what went through Martha and Mary when life slipped out of their brother Lazarus. But when news got to Jesus he did not drop whatever he was doing to rush to their rescue. “So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days” (John 11:7). Later he decided to go and, “On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days” (vv 17).
Yet in spite of this delay Jesus found Martha’s faith apparently not shaken. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (vv 21-22).
Meanwhile Mary who had stayed in the house on hearing of his arrival came out wondering if there was any hope. “When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (verse 32). She felt it is too late.But it was not too late. “Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (vv 40). Thus, “When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go” (vv 43-44).
If you believe in the Almighty God, then there is nothing like too late! Perhaps you too have a matter that has not only been ailing for a while but by all physical appearance is dead. Well, if you believe, it is not too late. It was against reality and quite laughable to think that a man who had been dead for four days could be restored to life. Well, the Lord did it. What more is it with you that the Lord can’t restore to life?
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth. you who raised Lazarus from the dead even after four days of being in the tomb, I bring to you all my affairs even that which appears dead, that you restore it to life, for nothing is too late with you, because of the faith have in your son, Lord Jesus
