There are times when God seems inaccessible. When we pray and we don’t feel God’s listening, we can end up feeling abandoned and like we have to face our situations alone. And that can also make us feel terrified and even hopeless. Paul understood those feelings. He’d longed for an opportunity to preach in Rome, and was on his way there when a hurricane destroyed his ship. Before setting sail, Paul had foreseen the loss of the ship, cargo and everyone on board (see verse 10). He tried to warn the crew of the impending tragedy, but his words were disregarded by those in charge. When the storm hit, they all felt a sense of despair. Paul and his companions ‘finally gave up all hope of being saved’. Then after fourteen days lost at sea – when the hurricane was fiercest – God sent an angel. ‘Do not be afraid, Paul…God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you’ (v.24 NIV). Just when it looked like Paul’s mission to preach in Rome would be stopped, God faithfully brought them through the storm to the exact destination He’d planned for them. Paul would then go on to declare God’s Word before Caesar in Rome (read about it in Acts 28). Sometimes we can feel like we’re caught in a storm too. But when the storm’s raging, we can run to God for comfort and protection. When the storm’s over, He can use what we went through to grow us. Whatever trial we’re facing right now, we can trust God to carry us through it.
