“So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.”
Acts 27:25, ESV
These words from Paul to the men with him on the boat after many days struggling in the water with no land in sight are a sign of comfort and hope brought by the faith of one man to whom God had given His word. There was a rebuke that was offered in the speech of Paul because they had not listened to him, but here we find a promise that is lifted up. A promise that could only be kept by God and the faithfulness of the people on that boat. If they failed to fully trust in that promise, hope would’ve been lost for all. The promises of God don’t always appear as we would like things to be, but they always carry with them hope. We don’t need to fear or struggle with them because God is with us, but we may have to set aside our own perceptions of what is going on. It can be easy to dismiss the promises of God because of the information before us. For the sailors, Paul’s warning was dismissed because they felt they knew better from the information that they knew to be true from their experience, yet, we find that the failure to set aside their pride and trust in the warning given to Paul by God came at great cost and suffering. God is the one who sets the path, and we are meant to seek out the ways which He prepares and not to deviate. How often, however, do we think we have a better way? Forgive us, Lord, for our stubbornness. Let us seek to be faithful and listen to God instead of seeking our own paths and fully entrust all things into Christ’s mercy and care.