Sailing with Paul

There are many lessons to be learned from a careful study of Luke’s account of Paul’s voyage to Rome. Taken literally, it shows us, in a wonderful way. The personal care of the Lord Jesus Christ for His beloved servant in a time of great stress and difficulty. The particular incident recorded in Acts 27:21-26 is that to which I especially desire to draw each reader’s attention.

For long, weary days and nights neither sun nor stars had been visible. The captain of the ship was in despair; the mariners, hopeless. Then it was that Paul, “the prisoner of the Lord” (Ephesians 4:1)—how lovely a title: not a prisoner of Caesar, nor of Rome, but of the Lord!—became the comforter of all in the ship, comforting them with the comfort wherewith he had just been comforted of God. For to him an angel of the Lord had appeared, standing by him, and saying. “Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”

This settled it for Paul. He knew that not a man on that ship would be lost, whatever might become of the vessel itself. So he says, “Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.” And so it was, for the ship was wrecked: but every one who had sailed with Paul was saved from drowning and reached the shore alive.