The beloved physician Luke 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 when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it were possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore”, and in chapter twenty-seven and verse forty-one of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground” where we read:
And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.
The verse begins, “And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, ...” Luke began with the words, “and falling into a place” which means “and being encompassed and surrounded into a space” “where the two seas met” or “in the location that an isthmus or tongue of land whose extremity is covered by the waves that are dashing on both side”, “they ran the ship aground” which means “the seamen drove and struck the ship into the ground below the water ”; “and the forepart stuck fast” or “and the prow or forward part of the ship was fixed and propped firmly into the ground”. Luke shared how the ship was driven toward a place where “two seas” came together, and the dashing of the waves caused the seamen to run the ship “aground” where the front part of the ship was fixed firmly into the ground beneath.
The verse goes on to say, “... and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.” Luke continued with the words, “and remained unmoveable” which means “and the front part of the ship stayed unmoved, firm and stable in the ground”, “but the hinder part” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover the stern or back of the ship” “was broken with the violence” which means “was loosened, dissolved and destroyed with the strength, force and action” “of the waves” or “belonging to the restless sea waves which were being tossed to and fro by their raging passions”. Luke shared how the bow or front of the ship stayed in place while the stern or rear of the ship was tossed back and forth and destroyed by the powerful agitation of the sea waves.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the plan of the seamen to reach the seashore was foiled because they were driven into a violent swelling of the waves where “two seas” met. They ran the ship “aground”, and because the front of the boat was stuck so firmly into the ground, the rear or stern of the ship was tossed around by the violent action of the water. This destroyed the rear of the ship, and now those aboard were in more trouble than ever before on this voyage. “Paul” told the “centurion” that God's messenger told him the cargo and the ship would be lost, but their lives would be spared. This occurred just as “Paul” said. God knew all about this sailing venture, and even in the midst of this trouble, He was at work preserving His servant “Paul” who was destined to travel to “Rome” to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. God loves everyone, and there are no temporary valuables that are not expendable, like this ship, to save the souls of anyone who yields to Jesus as their “Savior and Lord”. People who surrender to Jesus will have their sins forgiven and be granted everlasting life, and those who are wise come to Him regardless of what is happening to the “ship” in which they sail.
Next time Luke shares how, “the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners”, 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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