Please Read Acts Chapter 27, either before or after reading this.
Imagine being on a trip you dread, you are already sick, but now you have to sail in the midst of cold turbulent water. As a prisoner you are being taken to appear before Cesar on trial, so you have no choice. You board a stinky cold ship, feeling horrible, you try to stay positive. The ship sets sail in the worst of conditions.
A few days out, things only get worse, the waves grow stronger, all hands on deck are scurrying doing everything they can just to keep the small boat in a vast sea floating. Food is scarce, and because the stars were hidden by clouds, the captain has sailed off course
With little food, and sunken hopes of living through this, Paul stands up and tries to encourage his jailer and the deck hands. "Yet I urge you to keep your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Cesar; and behold God has granted you all those who are sailing with you. Therefore keep up your courage, men, for I believe that it will turn out exactly as I have been told." Acts 27:22-25 (NASB)
If I were one of those deck hands my thoughts might have been, "Great-even if I survive the icy water, will I have the strength to swim to shore? Even if I do, how will I ever get back home to my family and friends?"
Paul goes on to encourage them to eat because he knows they're going to need energy to finish this journey either by working harder than they've ever had to, or swimming like an awesome fish. Finally after literally working their hinnies off, they see an island.
Then, the soldiers plan to kill the prisoners. Typically a jailer's head would have rolled if his prisoner got away. Poor Paul, he doesn't seem to be able to win for loosing, but wait...God is on his side!
"but the centurion, wanting to keep Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump over board first and get to land, and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they were all brought safely to land." Acts 27:43&44 (NASB)
I love this example of life in Christ! Do you understand? Even though God loves you as He did Paul, YOU are going to experience the pits of life, love and adventures, but like Paul, God will see you through! In the storms of life embrace and seek the grace of Christ.
Keep Growing and Going You are not Home yet!
"And He said to me,
"My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfect in weakness."
Second Corinthians 12:9 (NASB)
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