Good morning! The Lord is with us always. Today we will begin our reading in Acts 27, with Paul on his way to Rome. Join me in reading how the Lord remained faithful to Paul.
Bible verse – Acts 27:1-6 NLT
“When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer[a] named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. 2 Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia;[b] it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province.
3 The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. 4 Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland. 5 Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. 6 There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board.”
Reflection
Yesterday, we finished Acts 26 where Paul was declared innocent, but because of prior situations Paul requested that he be sent to Rome for trial.
While Paul was technically a prisoner, Julius a Roman officer and captain allowed Paul to off board and be cared for by friends in Sidon. Note, while Paul was still a prisoner, God provided for him and ensured favor. Not only was Paul cared for but other sailing provisions were made too.
Sisters and brothers, Paul encountered so much opposition and experienced various levels of discomfort while following the Lord’s instructions and being appointed as the Lord’s servant and witness, to open the eyes of the Gentiles, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:16-18). Yet, Paul remained faithful and the Lord remained faithful. If you can picture the amount of love and relationship the Lord and Paul had for each other. You can certainly see the same love the Lord has for you. Amid Paul’s imprisonment he continued to serve the Lord. Paul continued in his relationship with the Lord despite the problems he faced.
Sisters and brothers, I point this out because it is important to understand and build a foundation on – your relationship with Christ Jesus is the one thing that will get you through the best and worst times in your life. When the odds are stacked against you, there is our Lord and Savior who is bigger than the stacks and the mountains you may need to climb right beside you. Stay encouraged because when the seas rage and they will from time-to-time, remember we serve a Lord who speaks to the waves and commands them to be still. Trust the Lord!
Prayer
Father God, thank you for sending your son Jesus to save us. Thank you for your love and mercy that sustains us. Lord, thank you for never leaving us, for creating us with love in mind. Lord, thank you for never giving up on us and for making our paths straight even when we get off track. Lord, you are always faithful and we are thankful for all that you do on our behalf. Lord, may our lives always be a reflection of your glory. Lord, continue to cover your children. Lord, continue to humble the proud and heal our nation. Lord, protect us and transform us into who you have called us to be. In Jesus name, amen.
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