The beloved physician Luke wrote how he, Paul, and others with him were sailing through a storm toward Rome, and “when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country. And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms”, and in chapter twenty-seven and verse twenty-nine of the book of Acts Luke shared how the shipmen, “fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern” where we read:
Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks,
they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.
The verse begins, “Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, ...” Luke began with the words, “then fearing” which means “at that time being put to flight, struck with terror and seized with alarm” “lest we should have fallen upon rocks” or “that perhaps and by some means we, Luke, Paul and the others aboard the ship, might perish, become inefficient and driven off course against rocks within the seabed” they did the following. Luke shared how the sailors became afraid that they might strike or be cast upon the “rocks” embedded within the seabed, so they took the following action.
The verse goes on to say, “... they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.” Luke continued with the words, “they cast four anchors out of the stern” which means “the sailors of the ship threw overboard four crooked safety anchors out of the hinder part of the ship”, “and wished for the day” or “and prayed that the daytime hour would appear”. Luke shared how the sailors aboard the ship were so afraid that they might strike rocks, that they decided to throw “four anchors” over the backside of the boat and began to hope, pray and wish for the daytime to come.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn about another problem which occurred on this ship sailing to “Rome”. This time the “sailors” became afraid that they would strike the rocks in the seabed below them, and they decided to attempt to stabilize the ship by throwing “four anchors” over the back, or stern, of the ship. This would hopefully keep the ship in place and not allow them to be driven closer in to land where the rocks might be. Step by step God was allowing this ship and those aboard to experience things He already knew would come to pass, and because He loves people so much, He promised “Paul” that he would eventually arrive in “Rome”. God wants people to be in a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and when they put their faith and trust in Him, He will forgive their sins, grant them everlasting life and watch over them as they serve Him in His Kingdom. May all who read these words see the hand of God in the voyage of this ship, and yield themselves to His Son Jesus who invites all who will to “come” to Him and believe.
Next time Luke shares how, “as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea”, 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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