There's a much taught and preached story in
Acts 27 concerning Pauls' voyage to Rome where he would stand before Caesar.
The ship they were on had been slowly making its way along the coastline when it
put into a port called Fair Havens. The season for sailing with any degree of
safety was coming to an end, and Paul, under the direction of the Holy Spirit,
admonished them that it was in all of their best interests to remain where they
were for the winter. He told them that to ignore this was to bring certain
destruction upon them, with the loss of the ship and all of their lives.
Scripture says that the Roman Centurion in charge was "more persuaded" by the
pilot and captain of the ship. He felt they knew far better than a landlubber
like Paul. More, they were motivated by the need to get the ship to port or
lose the opportunity to make a profit from its cargo.
Verse 13 says, "And
when a moderate south wind came up, supposing they had gained their
purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing." Very shortly, a "violent
wind" came up, and they were driven along.
It's so easy for us to read
this, hear this passage, and add our "tsk, tsk" concerning the foolishness of
the centurion and the ship's captain. Of course they should have listened to
what God was saying through Paul. We would have. Wouldn't have we? The
captain and the centurion made their decision based upon what "appeared to be"
reality. Immediate circumstances "appeared" to verify what their central desire
was, getting to Rome. Paul's warning went against their desire. When faced
with a choice, they went with their desire and used as their guide what they saw
with their human perceptions. My question for each of us is; if, judging by how
we make almost all of our real choices, whether in dependence on our own fleshly
perception or by the guidance of His Holy Spirit, how likely are we to have
heeded Paul's warning? Would we have chosen any differently than the captain
and centurion? It's easy to say we would have, but what do the choices of our
own lives say? How much of our life is really guided by the appearance of what
is around us, instead of by the voice of His Holy Spirit within? How many
disastrous choices have been made based on appearances? How many relationship
choices, occupational choices, financial choices, and yes, ministry choices,
have come about as the result of how things appeared to be, and that those
appearances brought us to, like the centurion and captain, think that we have
gained our purpose? How dull, even deaf, have we become to the voice of the
Spirit, and instead listen to the tyranny of our own desires and wants? And
always to our own destruction.
A.W. Tozer wrote "The only power God
recognizes in His church is the power of the Spirit, whereas the only power
recognized today by the majority of evangelicals is the power of man. God does
His work by the operation of the Spirit, while (believers) seek to do theirs by
the power of trained and devoted intellect." Paul and all those on board did
suffer shipwreck, as will all who try to live life in the power of their own
understanding, yet, as always, hope remains. Paul, who was now seen as
something more than a foolish landlubber, told them that the same God who'd
issued the warning, now offered deliverance. They would stay with the boat,
even as it sank, and God promised to bring all of them to shore, alive. And He
did, and so will He do for all who will come to the place of refusing to be led
by anything other than the voice of the Father. No matter where our foolish and
ill-conceived choices may have gotten us, He will, if we'll seek out His heart
as well as His voice, lead us out of that place. Our way may well have brought
wreckage, but His way will, even in the wreckage, bring us safely home, whole in
Him. No longer living by the appearances of things around us, but by His
appearing within us. Day by day, living for His desire, and not our
own.
Blessings,
Pastor O
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