Acts 27:9 Since considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous.
In the pursuit to spread the goodnews of Jesus Christ, Paul the apostle suffered three shipwrecks in his four missionary journeys. Paul was on a journey as a prisoner along with 276 other prisoners to Rome for his trial where he was finally beheaded as a martyr for Christ. Paul was a frequent traveler via the Mediterranean Sea hence was more familiar with the behaviour of the sea than sailors. The sailing season had long gone which means that this voyage would have been approximately in late October or early November. Sailing stops in the Mediterranean from around November through to January. Paul advised the captain of the ship to stop sailing and spend winter at Port Fair Haven but because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there. They hoped that somehow they could reach Phoenix (Acts 27:12). Negating Paul’s advice was a colossal mistake which resulted in the loss of cargo and the container. The people on board swam to safety to the nearby Island on planks and pieces of the broken ship.
There is a time to sail and a time to stay put. The decision to hoist the foresail and steer the oars must be carefully calculated based on the weather conditions. As the captain who wanted to circumvent the cold uncomfortable winter, we desire to avoid the crisis. We hope the pandemic will end instantly, relationships to heal overnight or problems to vanish magically after a few days of fasting and prayer. If we pursue shortcuts, the peril will end in a shipwreck. Rushing through a sore struggle is like expecting a fractured leg to heal overnight.
Three sailing strategies:
- Warn: Ignoring Paul warning was a costly mistake resulting in loss of a container, cargo and commodities. Similarly, shunning the voice, warning and counsel of the Lord will be a costly mistake resulting in loss of character and even material loss. The Word of God is like the weather forecast. Underline the “do not” in the Bible in red. Let them flash in the tablets of our heart as “red stop lights”. Disregarding warnings is like launching into the deep on a stormy night. Take heed to the warnings.
- Wait: Rushed decisions are normally wrong choices. A rushed decision usually causes a crash on the mission – Moss Maluleke. To avoid temporary discomfort the captain rushed to sail into a ruckus. God will not keep us in a painful or unpleasant furnace longer than necessary. Don’t rush the process, good things take time. Like a pregnant mother who has to wait for 280 days before she can hold her baby, waiting is God’s plan in the process. Wait, don’t rush or wiggle out.
- Win: Paul rebuilt the confidence and courage in the prisoners on board by encouraging them with a word of prophecy and sharing communion. When the storm get raspy and raucous, remember the promises and recollect the prophecies. Courage is the sword that wields through life’s battles. Courage is the winning weapon.
Watch the warning in God’s Word, wait for the winter to pass and win over the tumult. Fear is a reaction, courage is a decision.
Acts 27:44b In this way everyone reached land safely.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, the process makes me perfect. Help me to be patient and not squirm out of the uncomfortable seasons that strengthens the stern of my soul. Amen.
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