But when Jesus turned and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!” He said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Mark 8:33.

If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son…much more…having been reconciled – we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:10.

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1-2.

In our chapter, Acts 27, we get to live through what Paul experienced three times before – being shipwrecked in violent storms. It’s difficult to imagine what that would be like unless we have experienced it. By extension, it’s difficult to imagine any experience unless we have experienced it ourselves. When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius. And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary. v. 1-4. They sailed in another ship and because of the winds much time was lost. It is now past the season of the fast time of Atonement and sailing is dangerous, v. 5-9. Paul began to admonish them, and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing south-west and north-west, and spend the winter there. v. 10-12. A moderate south wind came up and they thought it safe to proceed along Crete, close inshore, but a violent wind came up and they were forced to give way to it. They were violently wind-tossed and had to jettison the cargo and their own tackle. They lost hope because no small storm was assailing them. No stars or sun appeared for many days and they stopped eating, v. 13-21. Then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on a certain island.” But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that they were approaching some land. They took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little further on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and wished for daybreak. v. 21-29. I’ve sailed on a cruise and you quickly realize just how deep that water is and how tiny and insignificant you are and how at the mercy you are of the always moving waves. The sailors want out of that ship and try to get to land in a small boat but Paul warned the centurion and the soldiers that unless they remain aboard they cannot be saved. They cut the ropes securing the small boat so it falls away. Paul encourages all aboard, 276 persons, to eat. He takes bread and blesses it and begins to eat. They took food also. Then they throw overboard even the wheat, v. 30-38. When day came, they could not recognize the land; but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach. But striking a reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. The soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention; and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land. v. 39-44.

Today a category 5 hurricane will hit Jamaica. There is no stopping the forces of a hurricane. God created this planet of ours that includes forces of wind above and forces of pressures deep beneath the earth. We can’t change those forces. Sometimes we need to see just how little control we truly have. The adage there are no atheists in a foxhole is soon realized in hurricanes and shipwrecks, in volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. And even in the midst of this violent storm that shipwrecked the ship, Paul was just as determined as that centurion to get to Rome. He was to stand before Caesar and give witness. That Caesar was Nero. And Paul was unafraid because he knew that Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, was with him. What about us? As we walk into each day of our lives facing storms of disease, illness, poverty, depression, uncertainty of every kind – are we willing to go deep in those experiences to experience that our deepest need is for God? And finding that God is with us in those experiences, do we trust Him as our loved ones undergo their own experiences going deep? I couldn’t help but think about Jesus’ suffering when Peter couldn’t understand his friend would die – You don’t have in mind the things of God…but the things of men. What were the things of God? But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God, He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the Author of their salvation through sufferings, Hebrews 2:9-10. Wow. We think we understand. I know I don’t even scratch the surface of understanding this. But I am so grateful. To Creator God be glory and honor – and our love forever! Amen.