HOPE

Acts 27:19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

Acts 27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

In a very dramatic situation Paul describes a series of events that led to utter hopelessness. Many days of not seeing the sun nor stars can work on a person’s mind and drastically lower his level of hope. Distress after distress can lead to a frame of mind that rejects the possibility of hope.

What changed the situation for Paul? He heard from heaven in the midst of his despair:

Acts 27:23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

Acts 27:24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Though they weren’t rescued by a luxury liner or helicopter, nor did the storm cease, they were nonetheless rescued:

Acts 27:43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

Acts 27:44 And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

It is my prayer that in our most intense moments of despair we will hear from heaven . . . even if it is just a still small voice. Some of us may make it in on broken pieces of the ship, but our hope remains steadfast and sure because it is grounded in the unmovable Rock of Ages.

My hope is built

On nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood

And righteousness.

I dare not trust

The sweetest frame,

But wholly lean

On Jesus’ name.

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand . . .

this is a tremendous encouragement to me. i thank God for this.

Thank you Brother Michael for the reminder. I thought of those places in Paul's letters where he spoke out of those numerous experiences that were not unlike the shipwreck... those experiences when according to all earthly and physical expectations there was no hope. But those many experiences enabled him to hope in the fullest sense of that word, "with confident expectation" and also to comfort others in any trouble.

2 Corinthians 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.”

Romans 5:2-5 ( NKJV )
through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Clint