Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the "northeaster," swept down from the island.
Paul’s prediction of disaster is beginning to come true. Out on the sea in a violent storm!
Desperate times call for desperate measures. They pass ropes under the ship, in an attempt to keep the wooden ship from breaking into pieces. As lowered anchor provided a very poor brake. The next day they threw the cargo overboard. Three days later, the ship’s tackle!
When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
Like Paul, students of Jesus sometimes find themselves in the midst of a storm. Circumstances beyond their control! Situations not of their making!
Maybe not a weather-related storm, but as fearsome and battering nonetheless. Job loss, family problems, life-threatening sickness, and even death of loved ones!
But Paul saw this storm coming and tried to warn them. Now he has an, I told you so, moment.
Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.
Some storms can be avoided if we follow good advice or even our own conscience. But not always. And here Paul gives them encouragement in the midst of the storm, much like Jesus who calmed His disciples in a storm on the Sea of Galilee.
So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.
Paul is unafraid, for God has told him he must appear before Caesar. He has long ago learned to trust God in the storms of life.
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