Acts 27 - Paul Saves the Ship!


33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

 As Paul is being escorted to Rome to be tried, the ship and its crew face a hurricance that threatens the ship and the lives of all on board.  Although Paul tried to dissuade the pilot to not go on, he was overruled.  Despite their bad decision God appears through an angel to Paul and tells him that not one of the men on the ship will be lost. Paul must testify before Caesar in Rome.  

 For fourteen days no one ate any food and Paul realized that they needed to eat.  He assured them that no one would lose their lives, and then broke bread, gave thanks to God, and all they began to eat.  Similar to Jesus' feeding the crowds with fish and the loaves, the passage says all 276 men ate what they wanted and were encouraged.  We can see the similarities with Holy Communion though these men had not accepted Christ yet.     

 What amazes me about this passage is that although Paul is a prisoner, he appears to be the one really in charge.  We see God's sovereignty in this whole story.  Maybe this is where Paul is inspired to write in Romans 8:28, "And God works all things together for those who love God and are called according to His purpose."  

 Paul knew that God turn any situaton into good even the one he was in.  He knew that what was happening to him would ultimately give him a chance to preach the gospel to new people.  People in power, like Caesar.  When your life seems to be out of control and the storms hit your life do you turn to God to save the ship?  Though our lives may get shipwrecked from time to time, ultimately God's sovereignty will work things for good.  This is what happened when Jesus was crucified on a cross and God turned it into good by the saving of many lives.  

 Where do you need to turn over your life to God's Sovereign will?  Remember God will be with you wherever your life takes you and in His timing will work all things together for good.

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