Acts 27:22 “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.”
In Acts 27, Paul and his shipmates were facing death. Their vessel, driven by a “tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon” . (v. 14), was in peril of being destroyed and its passengers drowned. Then the apostle gathered them together and said, “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.”
God knows our location. When Paul’s ship was caught in the storm and his shipmates had no idea of their location or future, the Lord of the universe knew precisely who and where they were. His angel called Paul by name. He promised that God would sustain him and his fellow passengers. His visitation reminds us that when we do not know what the future holds, we know Who holds the future. No matter where you are today, God knows. You are important to Him. It’s almost like he has a GPS on your location. God knows…
God has a plan for our lives. Every human longs for their lives to matter today and forever. This impulse is part of God’s design for us, intended to drive us to himself and his perfect plan for us. Just as Paul “must be brought before Caesar,” so you and I have something we must do in this life. God has a will for our lives. His plan is far greater than anything we can imagine!
God wants to lead. Paul could have rejected this angelic revelation. He could have been too unsure of its promise to risk sharing it with others, but he testified, “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.” And he was right. Just trust. If we are to live in God’s will, we must learn to let God lead. If you will let God lead, you will understand that he knows your location and will see his plan for your life. Cheer up and let God lead!
William Davis | YP
Clays Mill Baptist Church | Lexington, KY
http://www.claysmill.org
