Don't Jump Ship

 

Don’t Jump Ship

Don't Jump Ship - Audio/Visual 

When a gentle southerly breeze came up, they weighed anchor, thinking it would be smooth sailing. But they were no sooner out to sea than a gale-force wind, the infamous nor’easter, struck. They lost all control of the ship. It was a cork in the storm. We came under the lee of the small island named Clauda and managed to get a lifeboat ready and reef the sails. But rocky shoals prevented us from getting close. We only managed to avoid them by throwing out drift anchors. Next day, out on the high seas again but now irreparably damaged by the storm, we dumped the cargo overboard. The third day the sailors lightened the ship further by throwing off all the tackle and provisions. It had been many days since we had seen either sun or stars. The wind and waves were battering us unmercifully, and we lost all hope of rescue. (Acts 27:13-20)

It seems to me that there are, generally, three kinds of storms in life: storms that we bring on ourselves (like Samson); storms that God causes (like Lake Galilee); and storms that other people cause (as when Paul and Silas were thrown into prison). And when you’re the innocent party in a crisis, that last kind of storm is especially hard to take. God had put the apostle Paul, as a prisoner, on board a ship headed from Palestine to Rome. After the ship ventured through the Mediterranean Sea and docked at the island of Crete, God told Paul to advise the crew not to leave the harbor because there was an enormous storm brewing. But the sailors were impatient to get to a better harbor, so they ignored God. (Acts 27:9-12) Impatience often gets us into trouble. Impatient to get married; impatient to get a new job; impatient to move to the other side of town. These sailors didn’t take time to check things out with God, so they sailed right into the jaws of an awaiting nor’easter.

There are some pretty common reasons why we get ourselves into a mess, and the first is getting the wrong guidance from the so-called “experts.” The centurion who had charge over Paul ignored his plea and instead followed the advice given by both the captain and the owner of the ship. So, sometimes, the initial reason we get ourselves into trouble is that we listen to the wrong experts. Of course, the only truly reliable expert is God. But sometimes we get the wrong guidance from a vote. For instance, the majority of the crew on Paul’s ill-fated trip decided that the ship should sail on – they had hoped to reach Phoenix and its safe harbor on the other side of Crete. (Acts 27:12) But like those sailors, the fact of the matter is that the majority can be wrong. We can get ourselves into a real jam by following the prevailing opinion, or the most popular ideas. On the other hand, if we listen to God we’ll go in the right direction.

Then there are times we get wrong guidance from our circumstances. "When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so, they weighted anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete." (Acts 27:13) Ah, a gentle south wind – the sailors thought they’d gotten their wish because the circumstances looked favorable. But it’s foolish and unwise to ignore what God says, even if the circumstances are contradictory. Things may look good right now, but you may be sailing into the teeth of a storm. And we’ve all heard others who’ve said, “Well, this decision must be okay because I feel so good about it.” But the fact of the matter is that feelings can lie. Yet over and over again we hear about people who thought they’d obtained what they wanted but then went sailing right into a catastrophe, just as the sailors did in the book of Acts. They found themselves caught in “a wind of hurricane force." (Acts 27:14) Their ship — like those sailors – became caught in the storm and could not head into the wind. So, what do we do when a crisis blows our way?

Well, the first thing is we can’t let ourselves drift. When we’re caught in a crisis, we typically react in one of three ways and here, because the sailors couldn’t head into the wind, they “gave way to it and were driven along.” (Acts 27:15) The first thing that storms tend to do is to cause us to drift. We let go of our goals. We forget where we’re headed. We forget our values and we start drifting. Because they weren’t equipped with compasses and the stars were completely obscured by the storm, the sailors were in total darkness. And when we’re in a dark place, we can drift, too. The waves beat us back and forth, and we’re led to wherever they take us. Our problems seem to batter us back and forth.

The second thing is that we can’t afford to discard. “We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard.” (Acts 27:18) When a crisis emerges, we first start drifting and then we start discarding things from our lives. With the sailors it was first the cargo, then the ship’s tackle, eventually their food (Acts 27:38) and finally themselves. (Acts 27:43-44) They all jumped overboard and started swimming to shore. Often, when we find ourselves in a life’s crisis we’re tempted to throw out the very things that are important to us because we’re under pressure and want to get rid of it all. We become impulsive. We give up on our dreams. We run out on relationships. We throw away values that we learned as kids. Don’t.

The third is we shouldn’t despair. “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” (Acts 27:20) In an extreme crisis we eventually get to the point of despair and the last thing we throw out is hope. Have you ever come to the point where you’ve thrown things out, and collapsed in despair? Remember the sailors: they gave up hope because they’d forgotten that God was in control. They forgot that God had a plan. They forgot that God could inject hope into an absolutely hopeless situation. The amazing part of this story is Paul’s reaction. Paul remained calm, cool and confident; he had courage in the crisis. Nothing fazed him.

The sailors’ reactions were the natural responses that we tend to have in a crisis, but they don’t have to be. One test of our Christianity is how we handle a crisis. It’s easier to live like a Christian when things are going great, when all of our prayers are being answered, when we are in good health and when our incomes are rising. But character is revealed in a crisis, not made in one. So, what should we do when things look as if they’re falling apart, and we’re being battered by big problems? Drop your anchor.

“Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.” (Acts 27:29) The safest thing to do when we get in a storm is to drop our anchors. Just stand still. Situations change, and the sands of time shift, but the Bible says that “those who put their trust in God are immovable like Mount Zion.” (Psalm 125:1) Often when people encounter a major problem, they want to change everything else in their lives at the same time because the situation feels overwhelming and they can’t stand still. A person will lose his or her spouse by death or divorce, and the typical reaction is, “I’m going to quit my job, sell everything I own, move to a new city and start over.” But that’s exactly what they don’t need — more change. What they need to do is put down some anchors and get some stability. So why then was Paul so confident? Because he was encouraged by three anchors of the soul. These three truths can anchor you on the rock of stability so that when the winds of crisis blow you back and forth, you’ll have confidence. These will stabilize you in the storm.

The first anchor in a crisis is the presence of God. Storms can never hide us from God. We may not see him, but he sees us. We may think God is a million miles away, but he’s with us and watching us. “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) God is right there with us. We never go through anything by ourselves. No matter what situation you’re going through right now, God is with you.  God is the anchor that you can fully trust. In Acts 27:24, Paul quotes God’s angel who visited him in the night: “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” In other words, God told Paul, “I have a plan for your life.”

The second anchor in a crisis is God’s purpose. Every Christian ought to have a sense of destiny. You’re not here on earth to just take up space; God has a specific purpose and plan for your life. Storms are simply temporary setbacks on the road toward fulfilling that purpose. Absolutely nothing can change God’s ultimate purpose for your life unless you choose to disobey him. If you choose to reject his plan, he’ll certainly accommodate you but the Scriptures teach that no outside person can change God’s plan for your life. God leaves that up to you. No matter what happens on the outside, external forces cannot alter God’s purpose for your life as long as you say, “God, I want to do your will.” God’s purpose is greater than any situation you will ever experience. God has a plan beyond your problems. The point is this: it’s dangerous to focus on our problems more than on our purpose. Once you lose your goal, you’ll lose sight of the very meaning for which you exist, and you’ll become purposeless – like a cork in a storm. In Acts 27:25, Paul said, “Keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.”

The third anchor is God’s promise. God keeps his promises without fail. Storms cannot hide our faces from God because God is always with us. Storms cannot change the purpose of God because his purpose is the ultimate. Storms cannot destroy the child of God because God’s promises are sure. And some of us may be going through devastating crises right now; our problems may seem overwhelming, and we think we’re going under for the last time. But God says this to you: You may lose the cargo; you may lose the tackle of the ship; you may lose the ship; you may even get wet — but you’re going to make it because of the promises of God.

That’s fine, but what should we do while we’re waiting for the storm to pass? The same thing the sailors did: “Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.” (Acts 27:29) Anchor yourself on the truths of God and pray. Because when you do, “Morning came! The sailors didn’t recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach where they decided to run the ship aground. All 276 people jumped overboard and got safely to land.” (Acts 27:39-44)

God says, “I am with you.” Let his truth stabilize your life and give you the confidence you need in every crisis you face. Storms cannot hide God from you or you from God. God has a purpose for your life. So, don’t jump ship. There’s a reason for it all, and you will make it to the safety and rest that he has promised for you and all of us who love God and have been called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28)

Grace,

Randy