Paul Shipwrecked on Malta

Passage: Acts 27:27-44

Over three weeks ago, Paul and his friends boarded this ill-fated ship.  It has been a difficult journey the entire way, first contrary winds slowing them down and then a terrible storm blowing them 500 miles across the Mediterranean.

We can understand the storm that blew against Jonah.  God was keeping a prodigal prophet from fleeing further from His presence.  That storm was meant to bring Jonah back to his senses, to repentance and obedience.  But Paul wasn’t fleeing, in fact Paul was totally obedient, he wanted to go to Rome to preach the Gospel.  Why did Paul have to face all this suffering at the mercy of an unmerciful sea?

Why did it seem God opposed them the whole way?  We are reminded of the reality of life, Christians are not promised a life spared from crises or traumatic events, even Christians of the highest standing like the apostle Paul.  Paul was a godly, mature Christian, and yet God was still working in his life, testing, refining, increasing his faith, producing holiness.

Tests, trials, and suffering are all meant to refine us, to build our faith, to strengthen us.  It is especially important we teach this to our children while they are young.

Remember the words written down by Moses in Deuteronomy 6.