Courage amidst turbulence!
Verse for Today: Sunday, February 10, 2013
Acts 27:25 – “So, keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as He told me.”
The voice of comfort and hope from God is heard in the midst of turbulence and turmoil to strengthen His children to keep going. A shipwreck of the magnitude which Paul endured caused a lot of concern for all and they were all plunged into hopelessness. But God had a special purpose for permitting the turbulence on Paul’s way. Through the extremely dangerous situation, God showed the captain and his officers along with all the prisoners that He was in control of their ship, the sea and their lives. What their equipment, technology and experience could not achieve was accomplished by God. He took special care of the people in the ship because His choice servant was on that boat. God also planned for Paul to witness to the people on the boat about the faithfulness of God to His servant and his mission. Paul was going according to the plan of God to preach gospel in Rome and to write part of the Scriptures. There were other missions to be accomplished in Malta and Puteoli. Miracles were to be performed to show the islanders that Jesus was alive and that He had power over natural elements like sickness, snake, storms, wind and ship. Paul’s shipwreck is another lesson for us today that no matter how volatile and hopeless our present situation might be, our God is in control and nothing will hamper or hinder our sailing through the sea of life. God’s concern in our sail is not how fast we travel and keep the schedule, but how many lives we touch for Him. These turbulence are also occasions when God would speak to His children to reassure them to trust Him to keep going. He speaks to us through and in the midst of wind, storms, waves and darkness. It is God’s opportunity to take the praises from the mouths of His children as He ministers to them with messages of hope, trust and courage.
Dear friend, are you going through unprecedented turbulence and turmoil in life today? Have you reached a stage of utter hopelessness and bewilderment due to the extreme danger that you are faced with? Is your volatile situation taking away your courage and sinking you deep in fear and anxiety? But even in the midst of the severe storms and the wind, your Lord would want to reassure and strengthen you. He wants to remind you that He is in control of your dangerous situation. When He is in control, there is no reason for you to be alarmed and in anguish. There is a guarantee that in spite of the intensity of the turbulence, winds and storms, you will reach the next phase of your ministry for Him. Perhaps the forces of the enemy are trying to make you fearful and push you to lose your confidence and hope. You are admonished by God not to trust in your technology, experience and expertise to find your own way out of the present predicament. Through it all, the Lord wants to speak to you to reassure, strengthen and encourage you to keep trusting Him to take you through various phases of your life as a witness to His grace. If there are delays, it is not to slow you down, but to give you opportunities to touch the lives of strangers in unexpected places. God’s schedule for you will never be deterred by the storms and the winds. Even in the midst of shipwrecks, God will keep your life from being destroyed. Your life will continue to witness to the faithfulness of God and the fulfillment of the promises of God. So be bold and courageous in the Lord and strong in your faith in Him to accomplish His purpose in you even through the turbulence in the sea of life.
Matthew 28:20 – “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Thought for Today
God imparts courage and strength to His children in the midst of turbulence to sustain them to accomplish His purpose.
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