Storms - Pt 4

Today we come to the end of this brief examination of Paul’s experience with the storm that shipwrecked he and his traveling companions on his journey to Rome (cf. Acts 27). It is so predictable that in the midst of the storm, we become convinced of our need for a new promise from God. We come to believe that we need to know how to go forward. We need to see the end of the journey. And, God comes to us and says, “You don’t need a new promise. You need to hear the same promise again.” God has promised you will be brought safely through. You will reach your journey’s end in Jesus Christ. Here are just a few of those promises we have been given: “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28). “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). “He will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8). If you are having trouble visualizing and believing that God will keep his promises look at all the stories we find in the Scripture. With every great man or woman in the Scripture we find one constant: God is faithful to do what he has promised. In the crazy storms, the shipwrecks, the starless nights and sunless days, we don’t know how God will save us. But we do have his promises. And when we get to the end of our lives, we will be able to say, “I had no idea how he would save me, how I would make it to the end. But never once did he fail to keep his promise.” Remember where we began this little journey. We had a powerful storm move through our area. The news media told us to be “weather aware.” Funny how difficult that becomes when you no longer have electricity! Well, after a while of watching the dark skies ablaze with the flashes of lightning, trying to get some news on cell phones no longer connected to WiFi, my assurance came in the form of simply going to sleep for the night. I was not resigning myself to the storm; I was trusting it would pass and we would be safe. I’d already done all I could. The rest was in God’s hands; and that is always more than enough!