Acts 27: the Perfect Storm

"But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed."

This chapter gives an eyewitness account of an ocean storm, the once-in-a-decade kind of storm that survivors never forget. Dense clouds blot out the sun and stars for many days and nights; the entire shipload of 276 passengers and crew goes without food for two weeks, and no one knows whether the passengers will survive to see another day. No one, that is, except the apostle Paul.

Luke vividly depicts the on board frenzy: sailors lashing ropes around their groaning ship, the crew heaving precious food supplies and even the ship's tackle overboard, Roman soldiers with drawn swords halting the sailors' save-our-own- necks escape attempts and preparing to slash their prisoners' throats. In the midst of all this hysteria stands the apostle Paul, calmly foretelling what will happen next. God has promised him he will visit Rome, a vision has confirmed it and Paul never doubts it, even when the boat breaks in pieces around him.

Once more Paul reveals himself as a man of unassailable courage. The Roman centurion surely recognized it: He grants Paul extraordinary privileges and protection. By the end of the storm, everyone on the ship is following the advice of the unflappable prisoner from Tarsus.

Reflection: You know the saying, the best laid plans...How true it is for Paul. In the midst of all the turmoil found in the last few chapters of Acts, Paul finally realizes his dream of visiting Rome- not in the form of a missionary journey- but in a Roman ship as a prisoner of the empire. What a great lesson this is for all of us that our plans may not be Christ's plans...and we simply need to trust him, always.