THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Paul’s being on the ship made secure the life of everyone on the ship, for God granted to hifn the lives of the others who sailed with him. It is a great thing to have a godly man in the home, or in the church or in the community. He saves others also from many a calamity. Tuesday, May 15 . Acts 27 : 25 , 26 . Not one doubt did Paul have of his own security for he had God’s word for it, and could take God’s word for the security of everyone of his companions in the ship. So resting upon the sure word of God he could say to the others, even in the midst of the darkness and storm, when humanly speak ing, there was.no hope, “Be of good cheer.” Paul’s faith in God was of a very simple and practical kind. He simply took God at His word and not merely believed that it would be much like what God said, but just exactly as God said. It is a great thing when a man can say and say truly, “I BELIEVE GOD.” In the ability to say that lies the secret of all abiding peace and of all abiding and abounding success. Oh, that we might all learn to believe God just that way, to look into His word and see what it says and then to be absolutely sure that it is coming out in exactly that way. If we would thus believe God we, too, would always “Be of good cheer.” (Cf. 2 Chron. 20:20; Luke 1:45; Rom. 4 :20; 2 Tim. 1:12; Num. 32:19). Wednesday, May 16 . Acts 27:27-35- The story of this shipwreck bears the marks of truthfulness in every line. If Luke had been making up a story, he would have left himself open to detection every where by his constant state of minute de tails. But the more microscopically this story is examined the more evident does its exact truthfulness become. Minute cal culations have been made by nautical ex perts upon the data given us by Luke and everything told in the story is found to fit the geographical, mathematical and other facts. Some in the past have undertaken to pooh-pooh the idea of casting anchors
ness and with thè howling of the storm that our eyes are blind and our ears are deaf to the angels of God that stand right by our side. Paul’s description of his relation to God (v. 23), though brief, is full of meaning. He said that he belonged to God and that he served God, It is a great thing to be able to look up to the infinite God and say, “I am His." to say it intelligently and with a deep realization of its meaning. It gives a blessed solemnity to our entire life. It also gives a wonder ful sense of security, for we may be sure that God can and will take care of His own .property (cf. John 10:28, 29). But Paul did not stop with saying, “Whose I am”, but went on to add, “Whom also I serve”. Many say that they are His but do not prove it by service. Paul loved to think and to speak of himself as the “ser vant of God” (Rom. 1:9; 2 Tim. 1:3; Titus 1:1). It is a position of great dignity, and also of great security, to be a servant of God (Dan. 3,:17, 26, 28; 6:16-20). It is also a position of great blessedness and reward (John 12:26). Much that is called serving God is really serving self, but Paul’s whole life’s service was service rendered to God. Look at Paul’s brief and stirring command given under such remarkable circum stances, “fear not”. Thi§ is what God’s messengers are always saying. Take up your concordance and look up the occa sions on which God says to His servants “Fear not,” s‘Be not afraid”, and similar words. There may be fourteen days’ con tinuous storms and no sun or stars appear ing, but God still says “Fear not.” God now reveals His plan to Paul, “Thou must stand before Caesar. Well, if Paul “must stand •before Caesar” then all the Euro- clydons that ever struck the sea cannot founder the ship on which Paul sails until he is near enough to land to swim ashore. His enemies thought that Paul must stand before Caesar because he was a malefactor, but the real reason was that God had a testimony for Paul to give before Caesar, (cf. 9:15). Paul had built better than he knew when he had appealed to Caesar-
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