A Guarded Heart

When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, 
Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go. As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.) And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. Now when it was day, they did not recognize the land, but they noticed a bay with a beach, on which they planned if possible to run the ship ashore. . . .  The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and make for the land, and the rest on planks or on pieces of the ship. And so it was that all were brought safely to land. (Acts 27:27–44)

Being rescued is one highlight of God's care, yet what strikes me is that the Holy Spirit gave Paul a cool head. His life was in danger but he knew what to do — urge everyone to eat so they had enough energy to toss their load and make it to land.

I’ve rarely been in panic situations but know panic and how it turns on fight or flight rather than making a sensible decision. However, I’ve also seen how the Spirit of the Lord can give a calm logic when it is needed. The verses before this tell how God did it:

Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss. Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.” (Acts 27:21–26)

Today we travel three hours to a funeral for a person who belonged to a cult. This is not the same as being in a ship in a storm yet there is a hint of anxiety in my heart of all the possibilities. Other family will be there. Some know Jesus, several do not. Will the ‘message’ be a convincing presentation of their false teaching? Will we be bombarded with lies that will affect those who don’t know the truth? Will an angel whisper in my ear what I need to say or do?

Lord Jesus, You are always with Your people, in the den of lions, in the fire, trapped in caves, or on sinking ships. May my heart remember Your care and to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let my requests be made known to You, and experience the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding and will guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7)

LATER: God answered prayer, not just for this event but my prayers that God would bring them to the truth. Nothing false was said at the funeral. All Scripture quoted was appropriate. It was rather amazing. Only those who are in the cult could have interpreted it in any other way, but it was not presented as their beliefs. Instead, it came out as what the Bible says. I’m amazed and glad to be surprised.