THE ; KING’ S BUSINESS
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certainty o f the loss o f all their lives, that not a single life would be lost. : vs. 23, 24. “For there stood by me this night the (an) angel of ( add, the) God, whose! I am, and whom (whom also) I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought (stand) before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given (granted) thee all them that sail with thee." In that dark night an anggl o f God appeared to Paul: the darker and stormier the night the likelier are the angels o f God to appear if we are indeed His (cf. ch. 18:9; 23:11). Sometimes they stand beside us and we do not see them, we are so taken up with the blackness o f the darkness and with the howling o f the storm that our eyes are blind ,and our ears are deaf to the angel o f God that stands right by our side. Paul’s description of, his relation to God (v. 23) though brief is full o f 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 real ization o f its meaning. It gives a blessed solemnity to our entire life. It also gives a wonderful sense o f security, for we may be sure that God can and will take care o f 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 o f himself as the “servant of God” (Rom. 1:9; 2 Tim. 1:3; Titus 1 :). It is a position of great dignity and also o f great security to be a servant o f God (Dan. 3:17, 26, 28; 6:16-20). It is also a posi tion o f great blessedness and reward (John 12:26). Much that is called serving God is really serving self. But Paul’s whole life ser-vice was. service rendered to God. Look at Paul’s brief and stirring command given under such remarkable circumstances, “ Fear not.” That is what God’s messengers are always spying. Take up your concord ance and look up the occasions on which God says to His servants, “ Fear not,” “ Be not afraid,” and similar words. There may be fourteen days continuous storms and no
sun or stars appearing, but God still says, “ Fear ,not.” God now reveals his plan to Paul,” “Thou must stand before Caesar .’1 Well,' if Paul “must stand before Caesar” then all the Euroclydons 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. ch. 9:15). Paul had built better than he knew when he had appealed to Caesar. Paul being on the ship made secure the life Of every one on the ship, for God granted to him the lives o f 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 commu nity. He saves others also from many a calamity. vs. 25, 26. " Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me (even so as it hath been spoken unto me). Howbeit (but) we must be cast upon a certain island." Not one doubt did Paul have o f his own secu rity for he -had God’s word for it and could take God’s word for the security o f every one o f his companions in the: ship. So'rest ing upon the sure word o f God he could say to the others even in the midst o f the darkness and storm when humanly speak ing there was no hope, “Be o f good cheer.” Paul’s faith in God was a very simple and practical kind. He simply took God at His word and believed not merely 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 o f all abiding peace, and of all abiding and abounding success. Oh, that we might all learn to believe God just that way; to just look into His word and see what it says and then be absolutely sure it is coming out in exactly that way. If we would thus' believe God we too would always “ Be o f good cheer.” (cf.. 2 Chron. 20:20; ' Luke. 1 :45; Rom. 4:20, 21; 2 Tim. 1:12; Num. 23:19). . ' .
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