Suffer Loss
And the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. Acts 27:44
A couple weeks ago I was editing a project on my computer. The program that I was using did not have an “auto save” option so I purposefully remembered to select the save button regularly so I wouldn’t lose all my progress. I was down to the last day after a week of shifting, correcting and enhancing when I was about to make one last change, the document had disappeared. When I finally found it, I immediately selected save to make sure that I wouldn’t lose the work I had done the week before. A message box appeared and said that I was about to change a saved document. In my panic, I said “yes”. Before I realized what I was doing, all the adjustments I had made were gone and the document saved back to it’s original form. I was frantic now as I searched my history and all of the places, I could have possibly saved a backup copy. Still nothing. I sat hopelessly looking at my computer, totally giving up all hope of recovering the important report I had spent so much time on. I thought about praying and even did some, but I knew that I had caused the error, and I also knew there was little chance of finding it again. I felt like crying, and I thought about other times when this had happened to others and even myself.
In the grand scheme of things this was really a very little matter. The only person that it really affected was me. I considered my options and came to the conclusion that I would just have to start over again. My greatest concern was that I would remember all the changes I had made and be able to duplicate them. With God’s help this would be possible.
I am sure we have all experienced the loss of possessions or even important documents at different times in our lives. Some of the bigger things that I can think of was when my son lost his first car in an auto accident. Of course, I was so thankful that he was completely without injury. Yet it deeply hurt to watch him go through the disappointment and even regret of how the situation could have been different and he would still have his car. Of course, now, many years later, he never even thinks about that car and has had many since. Things are replaceable, yet they still cause great disappointment when they are gone.
In today’s reading, the apostle Paul was finally off the weather-beaten ship that had now broken apart in the storm. Everything on the ship was lost and although Paul was technically a prisoner, I am sure he had some belongings with him. He also had some friends with him, Luke and Aristarchus, who also made it to shore safely. I think about what personal items they may have lost along the way and the potential that they could have lost some of their writings. Especially Luke who documented accounts of their journeys daily and Paul wrote letters often. How devasting if those were lost. At the time, I am sure they had no idea that those documents would encourage and lead the church for years to come. I am so thankful that God protects His words so that they will never be lost. In the grand scheme, I know they were thankful to be alive and although they probably felt bad about losing some things, they still trusted God to restore what they needed.
I am so thankful for the things I have in life that make ministry possible and quite frankly make my life easier. If I were to lose my comforts, would I still be thankful for my life and use it to the fullest or would I sulk because of the things I no longer possessed. God is not against us having things, but he is against things having our heart. He knows that material belongings will always wear out, get broken and disappoint us. However, when we give our heart to him, He will always provide what we need to get His purpose accomplished. That is where our greatest joy and fulfilment come from.
Today I want to encourage you not to cling to earthly things. Yes, they can make life easier and even more enjoyable, but they can never fill the empty space inside of each one of us that was made for God to live in. Invite Him each day to sit on the throne of your heart then when you suffer loss, whether it is something big like a vehicle or as small as a document, He will comfort and supply you with whatever you need to get through those times. Get a “big picture” view today and realize what is most important in this world . . . your life saved and all others.
If you have never received God’s great gift of salvation, do that today. You can ask Him to come in right now and sit on the throne of your heart. Pray this prayer from your heart and He will come in and save you. He will provide everything that you need to accomplish the plan He has designed you for.
Pray: God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior. I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me. Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today. I know Your Son, Jesus died for me. I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward. I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen
Today’s scripture reading: Acts 27:39-44
39 When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible.
40 And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore.
41 But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.
42 And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape.
43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land,
44 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.
The Daily Dose 