When life brings a shipwreck

Apparently, the apostle Paul wasn’t above saying, “I told you so.”

In a severe storm at sea, after all the cargo had been jettisoned and the crew had given up hope of even surviving, Paul reminded them that he had warned them before they ever set out.

The Bible records his words, most likely shouted into the wind on that wild, stormy day at sea: “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island” (Acts 27:21-25, NLT).

Paul knew a storm was coming when the others didn’t. How did he know that? The Lord’s angel had stood next to him at night and gave him that sure word. Initially, the captain and the centurion in charge rejected Paul’s counsel. When the apostle warned them about the trials and troubles ahead, they blew him off. “You’re just a landlubber. A preacher. What do you know? This is what we do for a living. We’ll be fine. Just get on board.”

But now, in grave danger and at their wits’ end, they suddenly found Paul’s opinions interesting and relevant!

The truth is, as Christians who believe our Bible, we know things nonbelievers don’t know. We know that circumstances in our nation and world will eventually go from bad to worse – much worse. We know that Washington doesn’t have the answers, and that government doesn’t have the solutions to life’s greatest dilemmas and needs. We know that man in his own wisdom will always make a mess of things. We know that an antichrist will come on the scene one day with new answers for world peace and a prosperous global economy, and that just about everybody will buy into his formulas for success. He’ll offer military solutions, economic solutions and new religious ideas designed to help us “set aside our differences and pull together.”

Yes, because we read and believe our Bible, Christians know what is coming down in the days to come. And we also know that earth doesn’t have what we are looking for. Not even close. That’s why we, like Abraham, are looking for a city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God Himself.

God revealed to Paul something nonbelievers didn’t know, and He has done the same for us. He is able to take a situation of pain and hardship and use it as an opportunity to point people to salvation and new life in His Son. And God gives us that same platform.

As I write these words, our nation suffers from a deeply troubled economy, and even the experts can’t agree on how to resolve the problems we’re facing. People are losing hope. And some of those discouraged, disillusioned people out there will begin to re-evaluate what really matters in life, and their relationship with God. This can be an opportunity for us to speak up, offer a word of true and lasting hope, and point people to Christ.

Paul had said, “Guys, listen up. An angel of the Lord appeared to me and told me about what’s going to happen in the next few days. First of all, know this: We’re going to get through this together. Every one of us! We’re going to survive the storm.” But then he dropped the bombshell. “But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

In other words, healing, hope, help and rescue were on the horizon, but the storm wasn’t over. And there was a shipwreck ahead.

On one occasion, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side.” So they boarded their little boat to cruise across the Sea of Galilee, which is really a very large freshwater lake known for storms rising up without warning. And sure enough, a storm came roaring out of nowhere. This one was a doozy, because even the seasoned sailors despaired of life. And what was Jesus doing? He was sound asleep in the stern. Waking Him, they yelled, “Teacher don’t you care that we are perishing?” (See Mark 4.)

It was really more like an accusation. “Hey Lord, are You paying attention? Don’t You care that we’re going through this? Wake up and do something!” Jesus stood up, and rebuked both the storm and His boys. To the storm He said, “Peace! Be still!” And of course it instantly obeyed. But to His own followers He said, “Why are you so fearful? Why is it you have no faith?” Or literally, “Why are you so timid and fearful? Boys, haven’t you learned anything? Remember what I said? ‘Let’s cross over to the other side.’ I didn’t say, ‘Let’s go to the middle of the Sea of Galilee and drown!'”

The fact is, Jesus never promised calm seas and smooth sailing. But He did promise a safe passage. He told them they would make it to the other side.

Listen: It is better to be in a storm with Jesus than anywhere else without Him! I would rather be in a rowboat with Jesus in the middle of Hurricane Katrina than a thousand miles inland without Him. I would rather be in a lion’s den … or a prison … or a hospital … or even a shipwreck with Jesus than in any other situation without Him. As long as I know the Lord is there, I can get through anything.

So Paul’s confidence and hope was built on the fact that God was with him. He was conscious of the presence of God in the face of danger. In verse 23 he wrote, “Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me.”

There was going to be a storm, and a shipwreck loomed just ahead. But as long as Jesus would be there, too, Paul didn’t have a worry in the world.

And He is with us in our storms as well.