Daily Light - May 3, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse

"And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God

in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat."

Acts 27:35

You have at some time heard someone say, "How can you eat at a time like this?" That is exactly what many of the people aboard this ship were thinking when Paul decided it was time for lunch. Paul, now a prisoner, is on his way to Rome to stand trial. The ship he is on is in the midst of a storm and headed for certain disaster. If you have ever been in a storm on the water, then you know that it is something to fear. In that moment is a feeling of helplessness like you have never known. These sailors have been in this storm for two weeks now and have not had any thing to eat. They are mentally, physically, and emotionally worn. What they need is a miracle, right?

Well, not really. What they really need is an individual that has complete confidence in God to give them encouragement and impart to them wisdom. While it is a miracle that none of the 276 people on board the ship did not die, Paul was not promising miraculous signs and wonders. He was simply sharing with them some desperately needed courage. Over the next several days they would need strength to fight against the storm. It would take every muscle in their bodies to throw cargo overboard and eventually swim to shore. The food that Paul encouraged them to eat would go a long way in their eventual circumstances.

So many times in our lives when we face a storm, we act as if what we need is a miracle to get us out of the storm. We cry and wail to God for deliverance from this "evil" that has fallen upon us. Our thoughts are troubling to us even as we sleep. Where is God, and why doesn't He deliver us now? Perhaps, God is calling on you to use the wisdom and the knowledge that He has already given to you before you ever entered into this storm. God calls on us to have confidence in Him that no matter what we may face He will give us the courage and strength to get through it.

There is this popular idea that believers should never face great difficulties and that if they do then God will come swooping down to take us out of our circumstances. However, the Bible gives us example after example of God's faithfulness to His children as they endured and persevered through the storms of life. This storm may be exactly what God wants for your life, and if it is, He will give you the strength to make it through to the other side.

May you confidently face that storm today!