Feb 21 2009 Num 8-9, Acts 28

Scripture
Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. Acts 28:1

Observation
The Apostle Paul was in the center of God’s perfect will.

He had been threatened with death in the city of Jerusalem …. but he was in God’s perfect will. He had been arrested by the Romans…. but he was in God’s perfect will. He had been locked away in a dark damp cell and mistreated,…. but he was in God’s perfect will. He was bound and escorted under guard to a ship that would take him to his final destination, a place from which there would be no coming back,…. but he was in God’s perfect will. He was restricted from moving about freely, held prisoner among heathen sailors who cared little for God,…. but he was in God’s perfect will. He was on a ship bound for Rome…. a ship that would face one of the fiercest storms in the Biblical times… a ship that would be shipwrecked on a strange island called Malta, a ship that would be broken into many small pieces,… but he was still in God’s perfect will.

Paul’s present circumstances never stopped him from doing God’s will. This was just another inconvenience and another bump in the road. He knew his destination and he knew that the Holy Spirit was with him,... guiding him,... leading him ... and watching over him, every step of the way.

Application
What I see in this story and indeed Paul’s entire life is…. just because we are going through adversity, trials and other storms in life does not mean that we are not in God’s perfect will. In fact, many times, it’s exactly the opposite. All along this road of life that we all must travel there will be pitfalls, troubles, trials and tribulations that we cannot avoid. Paul had more than his fair share of storms, but he never let them blow him off course.

Prayer
Lord, please be my anchor in the storms of life. Let my life by guided and steered by the Holy Sprit and not the storm.