Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Revelation for Liberation
Acts 27:18-26
Vs. 20 When neither
sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest raged, all hope of
our being saved was at last abandoned.
“After winter comes the summer. After night comes the
dawn. And after every storm, there comes clear open skies” so said a
Scottish clergyman from the 1600s. It’s been said, that hope can sometimes be
the most dangerous weapon. However, it’s sometimes the hardest weapon to
carry when you’re living with the loss of a loved one, something that almost
feels like a terrible nightmare that’ll never go away. It’s a weapon
difficult to carry when day in and day out no one seems to hear or see those
tears that are shed or silent cries that are made during a heartfelt prayer.
It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you see your loved one lying on that
hospital bed. It’s a weapon difficult to carry as you search and seek out
answers to tell a child as to why they’ve been abused, abandoned, and neglected
throughout their life. Sometimes in order to carry such a weapon, other
tools and assets need to be left aside, as was the case for our sailors in
today’s passage.
In today’s passage, we see Paul, as a prisoner, on his way to Rome
to stand on trial before Caesar. Before such a climatic scene, we’re given a
subplot of where we find Roman soldiers, sailors, merchants, and other
prisoners along with Paul, stuck on a ship in the midst of a disastrous
storm. In the attempt to save their lives and avoid shipwreck, those
onboard began to discard the cargo, the very items they once deemed precious
and of worth, was now discarded as useless baggage that if kept would only
bring harm. It even came to the point where parts of the ship were
getting discarded as well. However, even after discarding and abandoning
whatever they could, with the absence of light and direction (since neither sun
nor stars, which were often used as sources of direction, appeared for many
days) those on board finally began to let go of their last weapon, hope. How
does one maintain hope when what you see, hear, and feel is death right before
your eyes?
In such a pivotal moment, comes our seemingly harmless prisoner
Paul who first admonishes the men for not heeding his advice and then assures
them of their safety by revealing his encounter with an angel. Initially
Julius, the centurion in charge, had chosen to take faith in the professionals,
the ship owner and pilot. However at this point when all had lost hope and even
the will to sustain themselves, to hear that there is a God who would provide
for their safety beyond their capabilities must have reignited that sense of
hope. Paul held onto his hope and faith in Christ, which allowed him to
be a source of light and direction in the midst of darkness and hopelessness.
Sometimes in order to hold onto the weapon of hope, we need to abandon those
comforts of life that continue to weigh us down and keep us away from seeking
the true source of hope. Sometimes in order to acknowledge the grace,
strength and presence of God in life’s greatest and darkest storms, we need to
acknowledge our vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Are we willing to hope
despite the circumstances? Are we willing to trust Him who is the Way to Truth
and Life in the midst of life’s inevitable shipwrecks?
PRAYER
Father God, we thank
you for the New Year. May this be a time for us to renew our spiritual
discipline, discipleship and the family-life, feeling confident that on the day
of Jesus Christ, God will
bring our life to its consummation. Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Will we choose to
abandon our comforts and goods for eternal security or will we shipwreck our
conscience and relationship with God himself for the sake of earthly
security?
Sherine Thomas, Long Island MTC, NY
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar
Thoma Church