Pam Padgett ... teacher
One of the things that stood out to me as I read
about Paul's journey to Rome was how strongly it showed that the wisdom of man cannot be relied
upon, but what God says will come about without fail.
When the master and owner of the ship planned for
the ship to leave The fair havens, it was the time of year when sailing
was dangerous. However, The fair havens was not as well set for winter
as Phenice and it seemed better in the wisdom of man to go to
Phenice. When a soft south wind blew, they supposed this confirmed that
they could do this. In the wisdom of man, it seemed best to go to
Phenice.
Paul, having the Holy Spirit, warned them that he perceived the voyage
would result in hurt and damage. But the centurion believed the master and
the owner of the ship. It seems wise to man to trust in those
considered "experts", instead of seeking to know what God says about the matter.
Acts 27:9 Now when much time was spent, and
when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past,
Paul admonished them, 10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this
voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and
ship, but also of our lives. 11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the
master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were
spoken by Paul. 12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter
in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they
might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of
Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west. 13 And when the
south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose,
loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
But what looked safe in the wisdom of man, soon became a way of great peril ....
Acts 27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared,
and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was
then taken away.
Paul heard from God on the matter, an angel telling Paul what would
happen. Although Paul hadn't trusted in the wisdom of man, he trusted
in what God said, believing that all would happen as the angel told him ...
Acts 27:21 But after long abstinence
Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have
hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained
this harm and loss. 22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for
there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God,
whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be
brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail
with thee. 25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. 26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.
All on the ship safely escaped (Acts 27:44), and Paul was later taken to Rome (Acts 28:16), all as God had said.
Wisdom of man can look sure, but be the way of death. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)
What God says is the only way that is truly sure. When we have heard
from God, we can safely trust in that, for it will not fail, and is life
for us. Jesus taught us that the flesh profits nothing, but the word from God gives life ...
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh
profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and
they are life.
And I was reminded that Paul told us that our
faith, that which we believe and act upon, should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God, in what God has said ...
1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.