SCRIPTURE: Acts 27:39-44
“But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan.” (Acts 27:43)
I love the layers in this chapter of the story.
On the surface, we have the soldiers preparing to kill the prisoners, including Paul.
We have the centurion wanting to spare Paul’s life – for some reason he liked Paul.
And silently behind it all, we have God, who is at work for His own purpose.
Humans can rage against God’s plan, they can scheme and maneuver, but they can’t outmaneuver God.
God had promised Paul that everyone would be saved from the ship (Acts 27:23-24)
And here we see God’s promise fulfilled.
“In this way everyone reached land safely.” (Acts 27:44).
Pharoah wanted to kill all the boys of Israel, but God thwarts him.
Mordecai wanted to kill all the Jews (Book of Esther), but God thwarts him.
Herod wanted to kill all the boys, in order to kill Jesus, but God thwarts him.
Satan, the religious leaders, the political leaders want to kill Jesus, but God thwarts them.
No one and nothing can stop God’s kingdom purpose from being fulfilled.
There are layers to your story too, and mine.
Don’t forget the God-layer, He is up to something big in your life.
It may not always end up as you hoped or planned, but it will always end up for the best.
He will see it through.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, I can think of some personal situations where things did not end up good, at least from my point of view. Help me to cling by faith to Your greater purpose, even when I can’t see it.
Observations/Application
God’s purpose/plan will be done.
All will come to pass as God promised though the journey may be difficult. God had promised all would be save if they followed His plan. God used the centurion to orchestra that plan and all did make it to shore.
All Christ followers will make it safely to land/’home’ but life storms may make the journey difficult – trials, persecution, famine, earthquakes, flooding, etc. Believe God’s Word as Paul and the centurion did and in this way all will reach safety/home – being with Him always and forevermore..
I have journeyed
Through the long, dark night
Out on the open sea
By faith alone
Sight unknown
And yet His eyes were watching me
The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm
I’ve had visions
I’ve had dreams
I’ve even held them in my hand
But I never knew
They would slip right through
Like they were only grains of sand
The anchor holds
Though the ship is battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm
I have been young
But I am older now
And there has been beauty
These eyes have seen
But it was in the night
Through the storms of my life
Oh, that’s where God proved
His love to me
The anchor holds
Though the ship’s been battered
The anchor holds
Though the sails are torn
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm
I have fallen on my knees
As I faced the raging seas
The anchor holds
In spite of the storm