I wish I could tell you that life was just a string of sunshiny days... one after another with smooth sailing through life. But once we decide to leave the safety of the shore, we soon find that out for ourselves. Whether we spring a leak in the hull of the boat and our finances drain away, or the tempest winds will simply not stop tossing us to and fro in the working world of "gotta-be-on-top." Life has a way of telling us that what we thought about control, was simply a prideful and childish dream. But some of us take a little longer to wake up than others. And our friend Paul often found himself surrounded by many of those late bloomers. When we join him today, he is still a prisoner, two years after the Commander lifted him from the angry mob of Jerusalem. Captive to the system, he waited for justice as rulers delayed judgement, simply because they were intimidated by the Jewish High Council. Until finally, Paul pleaded for an appeal to Caesar. So off to Rome he went, But this voyage would be nothing but smooth sailing. Paul was certain, early in the voyage, that this ship would not make it to it's destinaton. He was one of many prisoners and warned the officer in charge. But why would he listen to a convict aboard? After fourteen days of tossing and turning at sea, many began to realize that maybe this Paul had some wise advice for them. Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. “Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.” Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat... all 276 of us who were on board. After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard. Acts 27:33-38 NLT Paul's advice was, of course, given to those tossed about in a sea of troubled waters. Men so worried, working so hard to keep the ship afloat and steered on course, that they never stopped to eat, nor care for themselves. But how true this advice is for us, when we are tossed about by life's storms... no matter the size. Oftentimes, we get so focused on the problems and circumstances that surround, and all that we can do to fix them, we forget to stop and nourish ourselves in God. We neglect our relationship with the One true Helper who can give us more strength and support for the journey than any other thing will do. I know this... because I've been there. I've tried desperately to do my job, take care of my family, keep my house and budget afloat... all by myself. And as much as I'd like to pridefully say that I'm wonderwoman and can do it all... I just can't. Because even on the sunniest day it's too much for me. And let a storm roll in and I'm sunk. That's when I begin to start throwing things overboard to lighten the load... sometimes things that are necessary for the jouney. But I can't make right decisions, not really wise ones... unless I'm nourished and fed. Not on junk food from the world, which looks at life from the outside, but by the One who has a greater perspective on my life than me. God can see all that I have and don't have. God can see the storm coming way before it hits. And God can be the calm in the middle of it, if I will just take the time to humble myself and listen. Paul clung to that ship, tossed about at sea, the winds raging, the waves spilling over the sides and he saw the fear in their eyes even though they never stopped working to stay afloat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. “Please eat something now for your own good." God also sees us hanging on. He knows our grip is getting weak, but He doesn't want us to rely upon the boat to keep us safe. Rather, our faith to be in Him. So we need to take Paul's advice... “Please eat something now for your own good." A bite of God's word, a simple whispered prayer... Help, I need You now! A humbled heart, saying, I can't do this alone. God really does want to be our safe haven in the storm, and He will guide and direct us, even giving us wisdom as to what is the uncesssary load that we need to toss overboard to lighten us up for the journey. But He's waiting on us to take the time to be nourished by Him. And at the risk of mixing metaphors, if there had been a steward on Paul's ship... anyone like a flight attendant who warns in cas of an emergency, we ought to put the oxygen mask first on ourself, then on those whom we have around us... this nourishment is much the same. We can't help those in our family, or our surrounding circle, if we aren't being properly fed. We need to take what God has offered. There is much more than a snack. He's actually prepared for us a meal... a feast, if we will only take the time. It's actually ok to take a lunch break in the storm. Word of God train me today... To lean on, rely upon and be fed by You. To let go of my tight grip of control and realize that You want to guide my life safely to the shore and our of the storm.
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January 2019
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