Luke the beloved physician wrote how he, Paul, and others with him were sailing toward Rome, “and we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls”, and in chapter twenty-seven and verse thirty-eight of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea” where we read:
And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.
The verse begins, “And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, ...” Luke began with the words, “and when they had eaten enough” which means “and at the time and moment the people on board the ship consumed and devoured a sufficient amount of food”, “they lightened the ship” or “the people on the sailing vessel threw cargo overboard to make it lighter”. Luke shared how the men aboard the ship made it have “less weight” after eating a sufficient amount of food.
The verse continues, “... and cast out the wheat into the sea.” Luke added the words, “and cast out the wheat” which means “and threw overboard the grain such as corn or wheat” “into the sea” or “into the large body of water known as the Adriatic Sea”. Luke shared how the men aboard the ship threw the “grain” into the body of water below them to further lighten the ship.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the people on board the ship ate enough food to suffice themselves, and then began throwing the “grain” used for food over the side of the boat. Each item aboard the boat was adding weight to the ship, and this caused it to sink in the waters beneath. The more they “lightened” the ship, the better the chances were that they would survive. Now, their food source was thrown overboard, and their reliance upon what “Paul” told them about surviving would be more important than ever. God was watching over the happenings upon this ship, and He was determined to lead “Paul” to “Rome” where His gospel would be declared. God wants to save people from their sins, and He sent His Son Jesus to die for those sins so anyone who surrenders to Him will be forgiven and granted everlasting life. Let all who read these words see the significance of God's provision and realize He preserves people to give them opportunity to come to Him and be forgiven through His Son Jesus.
Next time Luke shares how, “they discovered a certain creek with a shore”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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