Cutting Off the Ropes - Acts 27:32

The beloved physician Luke wrote how he, Paul, and others with him were sailing toward Rome, and although Paul warned them not to leave Crete, they left anyway, and a storm arose that eventually caused them to be “fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, you cannot be saved”, and in chapter twenty-seven and verse thirty-two of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off” where we read:

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.

The verse begins, “Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, ...” Luke began with the words, “then the soldiers” which means “at that time the Roman champions and warriors” “cut of the ropes” or “amputated, mutilated and cut loose the cords made of rushes” “of the boat” which means “belonging to the sailing vessel or ship”. Luke shared how the “Roman warriors” cut loose the “ropes” that were holding the lifeboat after “Paul” warned the “centurion”.

The verse continues, “... and let her fall off.” Luke added the words, “and let her” which means “and allowed and permitted the lifeboat to” “fall off” or “to fall to the water below”. Luke shared how the “soldiers” cut loose the lifeboat and allowed to to fall to the water below.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “soldiers” cut loose the lifeboat after being told by “Paul” that they would not live if the seamen attempting to escape should leave the ship. Once again “Paul” was directing the activity on the ship. God was overseeing “Paul's” travels, and because He wanted “Paul” go to “Rome” and share His gospel, “Paul” and those aboard the ship would be saved. God loves everyone, and those who yield to His Son Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted eternal life. This message is worth preserving and presenting to all who will hear it, and the true “eternal” lifeboat is available to every person who surrenders to Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Luke shares, “while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat”, 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".