The purpose of storms

In my reading today I came to a chapter that always fascinates me. It's one of those chapters that you could skip over easily if you didn't intentionally slow down and look at what is happening in the story. It's Acts 27. In this chapter the whole story deals with a boat ride. It's the story of Paul's trip to Rome. I almost always ask myself, when I come to this chapter, why is this in the bible. What purpose does it have? What can I get out of it? And every time I come away with more insight into the way that God often works in our lives. At the beginning of the chapter they set sail with a boat full of cargo, supplies, passengers, and all that is needed for a trip across the Mediterranean sea to Rome. By the end of the chapter they have thrown everything overboard and come to shore with nothing but the wet clothes on their backs.

It's a wonderful picture of the odyssey we take in our lives from all we trust in to the abandonment of it all to a trust in Christ alone. The chapter unfolds in a fascinating way- a storm comes and they are driven by the storm. As days pass they gradually throw overboard more and more of what they brought with them- the tackle, the grain, the anchors, etc. Soon, the story says "they lost all hope of surviving." It's funny when we, in our own lives, lose all hope of doing things our way that's when the Lord can provide an island. For us that island is Christ. For them it was an island that saved them literally! What always humors me is their attempts to hold onto something, but ultimately they came to shore with nothing. That's the way it is with our faith in Christ. We bring nothing with us. We offer him nothing but ourselves, but when we do come to him empty and simply offer him our lives we find safety, salvation, and rescue from death.

It's funny what you can see in the bible if you are looking. The whole story of the bible is a story of redemption and each time you see God's redemptive hand in the lives of people it's always a wonderful picture of our lives as well. When you have time read through Acts 27 and watch as those on the boat gradually abandon everything and come to salvation wet and empty handed. The stories that sometimes make us wonder why they are in the bible are often the ones most vivid with imagery of God's redemptive work in our lives.