The Storm (Part 1)

Acts 27:13-20

“13 When a moderate south wind began to blow, they thought they could achieve their purpose; so they weighed anchor and began to sail past Crete, close to the shore. 14 But soon a violent wind, called the northeaster, rushed down from Crete. 15 Since the ship was caught and could not be turned head-on into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven. 16 By running under the lee of a small island called Cauda we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17 After hoisting it up they took measures to undergird the ship; then, fearing that they would run on the Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and so were driven. 18 We were being pounded by the storm so violently that on the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard, 19 and on the third day with their own hands they threw the ship’s tackle overboard. 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.”

The sun and the stars had disappeared, and as the tempest raged all hope was abandoned. 

Luke’s description of the storm has an awful, poetic beauty.  Through his first-hand account, we get a sense of what it was like to be on board that ship, physically and emotionally. Unfortunately, a lot of us have been through tempests such as this, just not on a ship.

If we live long enough, we will all go through such tempests of life, in which we try to salvage our lives by throwing things overboard.  In such times we realize what is important and what is expendable, in such times we question and evaluate our lives.  In the darkest days, when the sun and the stars disappear, we may begin to lose hope.

But there is always hope.  Christians have an eternal hope, a hope that cannot be blown away by the most severe storm.   Christ commanded His disciples to “remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).

Christ is with us always….even in the storms.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)