Acts 27:1-20 Paul Is Sent to Rome

When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius.  And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care.  From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary.  When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.  There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it.  When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone;  and with difficulty sailing past it we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them,  and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.”  But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul.  Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore.But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo;  and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control.  After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in under girding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along.  The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo; and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands.  Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

We already know that it was both God's and Paul's purpose for Paul to go to Rome. It was the trial of Paul that made way for him to go to Rome, but the trip there resulted in a ship wreck.  Paul was instrumental in keeping the crew and passengers calm not only for his own survival, but for the testimony of Paul who was being tried for his very life.  All things work together for good, for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, grant in us the kind of faith Paul showed, not being fearful for his own life so long as he was laboring for his Savior Jesus Christ. Demonstrate Your calling in our life so that we are convicted and convinced as to what we should do in our time.  In Your holy name I pray Amen.