“14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.” Smooth sailing turned into the winds of the Northeaster (often described as a cyclone). The winds were so bad that they could not go in the direction they wished and they had to submit to where the wind would blow them. Instead of being safe on land, they were now frightened for their lives. At this point, the knowledge of pagan men was surely still of some use, but of no real value. The expertise of man is dust blown in the wind compared to the knowledge of God. The circumstance they were now in was beyond their control. What had been in control was to believe God rather than man.
“As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along.” Before being overwhelmed by the Northeaster the men had not sailed very long. They had set sail from Fair Haven and had only traveled about thirty five miles before coming to a very small island that is about 12.5 miles square. (Californians can compare that to Santa Catalina Island which is seventy-six square miles.) The ship sought whatever relief they could find by hiding from the winds behind this small island.
Lifeboats then were usually tethered to the ship and followed the ship on the seas. The seas had become so bad that lifeboat was in danger of being lost so they brought it on board. Certainly, in those conditions not an easy or safe task.
The reason they “passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together” was because they thought that the winds and pounding waves could break their ship apart. Family and friends, imagine yourself in that ship. It would prove to be terrifying even to the seasoned sailors.
Upon whom do we place our trust? Family, the ways of God can seem foolish to the world. After all, think about it. We absolutely believe that a God that though physical eyes cannot see and hands cannot touch, and ears cannot hear, that He supernaturally caused God the Son to become a son of a young woman. Furthermore we believe that this fully God and fully man being lived a perfectly sinless life, that He did not resist being mocked, spit upon, slugged in the face, having a crown of thorns forced down upon His head and brutally whipped. Even more we believe that after beaten nearly to death, having lost much blood, that he carried a rough wooden cross upon his raw shoulders for about a half a mile, uphill, and then to be nailed to the cross with His exposed nerves rubbing against the rough cross, and to stay on that wooden cross until He died of asphyxiated. Then, to top it all, we believe that this God (that we cannot physically see) rose Jesus from the dead and in all that, we have forgiveness of sin and the path to eternity with God. The only path! Family, to the common mind, does that make sense? No, it seems ludicrous to them. (1 Corinthians 1:18-19) Yet, that baby born to Mary, that man who suffered and died for us, He who rose from the dead, He, yes He, is the one we call our Hero. Does He sound like any hero the world has? The ways of God are not the ways of man. Let us see with spiritual eyes, let us understand with a spiritual mind. The only way to do that is to be born from above through the Son of God, Jesus our Savior and Lord. The world scoffs and mocks. To us, our hearts and minds swell with faith and hope as we see what only the children of God can see. We sing, we shout “Hallelujah” to our God, our Savior. Yes, hallelujah Jesus! Upon You our eyes are fixed. Hallelujah! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”