Encouragement

The New Hope of Shipwreck

by Jerry Ousley
09/23/22
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The New Hope of Shipwreck

Jerry D. Ousley

            Let me tell you a true story (found in Acts 27:9-44).  It happened while Paul was enroute to Rome to stand trial before Caesar.  The captain of the ship which held Paul and several more prisoners, had decided they could make it to Rome before winter and so instead of staying at Crete until winter was over, he commanded that they continue to Rome.

            It was a bad decision.  They got caught in open water in a storm that lasted for days.  The waves were so high that they feared the ship was going to be rolled and they would all drown.  It didn’t look good.  Thunder roared overhead as lightning crashed all around them.  They boat rocked up and down threatening to be overcome any second by the raging waters.  I don’t know about you but I think I’d be begging God for my life if in that same situation.

            They began throwing everything into the deep that wasn’t needed to live in order to lighten the load of the ship hoping that it would stay afloat until the storm ended.  But the storm didn’t end.  It continued day after miserable, horrifying day.

            Instead of groveling for his life, Paul was praying and seeking God.  They had all begun fasting, hoping that whatever god each man prayed to would hear and answer.  The God of Paul was the only One who answered (because He is the only, true God).  At His instruction they were to take something to eat to sustain themselves for what was coming.  Without doubt the ship was going down.  But if they would heed to His plan, everyone on board would escape with his life.

            They finally spotted land and tried to head the ship there, but in the process, they ran aground on rocks hiding just below the surface of the water.  As the angry waves began beating the ship into pieces, the guards thought it best to kill all the prisoners to keep them from escaping, but the officer in charge, who had taken a liking to Paul, stopped them.  And so, just as God had promised, they all escaped to safety.  Not one was drowned or beaten to a pulp by the rocks.  It was nothing short of a miracle.

            It reminds me that life is full of shipwrecks.  Each of us either has experienced it or are going through it right now.  The angry waves crash all around us.  The thunder roars over our heads.  Dangerous lightning is threatening to blow us to smithereens.  Life seems strangely hopeless.  How can we get out of this situation?  It could be health issues.  It could financial. It could be problems with rebellious children.  Perhaps it’s your marriage.  Many different storms rage in our lives.  Each is unique. 

They give storms names these days.  I wonder what you would call your storm?  Maybe “Impossible.”  Or how about “Unbearable.”  Whatever name uniquely describes your storm, despite the barriers in your situation, there is a glimmer of hope just beyond those black clouds.  There is a new hope in your shipwreck.

Our Lord has promised that He would never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  If we believe that, if this is true, that means that even in the darkest part of your storm, when it seems the waves will capsize our ship, when the waves and rocks seem to be beating us to death, Jesus is there.

But isn’t He supposed to calm the storm?  Remember the story?  Jesus asleep in the boat in the middle of a storm that caused hard, professional fishermen to fear for their lives.  But when they woke Him up, He merely told the storm, “Calm down; have peace and be still.”  And immediately the storm stopped (see Mark 4).  He can do that for us in our storms and sometimes He does.

However, there was another story wherein they were caught in a deadly storm.  Once again, these experienced fishermen were sure they were going to die.  This time Jesus wasn’t in the boat.  But as the lightning flashed, they saw a figure walking on the water – More reason to increase their fear.  They weren’t going to get out of the storm. But then, after they realized the figure was Jesus and Peter had walked on the water, in that raging storm, after Jesus got into the boat the Bible tells us that they were immediately at land (see John 6).  Think about that.  They were in the middle of the Sea of Galilee.  They had no control over their boats.  Jesus had miraculously finished the journey for them.

The point is, regardless how fearsome your storm rages, Jesus is with you in it.  He will bring you victory if you won’t give up.  If you will press forward and never let Him go despite your fear, in the face of your anger, in the desperation of your situation.  He will bring you through your storm one way or another.  He may make it go away or He may ride in the boat with you through it and bring you safely ashore.

You may be facing shipwreck.  But fear not.  Despite your loss, in the face of impossible odds, there is new hope in the shipwreck, but only in the company of Jesus.