‘Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.’ Acts 27:29 (NIV).
A fortnight into a trip across the Adriatic Sea, Paul and his travelers found themselves caught in a violent storm. In the midnight hour, as they approached land, the sailors feared they would be dashed against a rocky coast, so they dropped four anchors from the stern to halt the runaway ship and prayed to their gods.
However, Paul alone was praying to the One God who could do anything about their situation.
His actions are a good reminder to us to rely on God rather than our own wisdom or skills. However, we don’t do nothing in the midst of trouble either. There is always an action to take just as there are always prayers to pray. Faith and action must be working together. We must do all that we can to fix the problem and then trust God to do His part.
Paul commended the young Christians in Thessalonica for their ‘work produced by faith’ (1 Thessalonians 1:3). He told the church in Galatia, ‘the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love’ (Galatians 5:6).
James said that ‘faith by itself, without works, is dead’ (James 2:17) and Hebrews 11 offers a lengthy list of saints who combined their faith in God with loving actions and deeds.
Be Greatly Blessed!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, forgive me for taking control and leaving you out of the issues that I face in life. Help me to do what I can and know that as I commit situations to you, you will do what you will. Thank you.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name,
AMEN!
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Additional Thoughts:
There is only one response to the problems that confront us in this life: faith and action working simultaneously as we do our best and wait for the best from God.
Where do we find ourselves just now?
In our trouble there is always a wise and gentle response awaiting from both ourselves and from God. It is tempting to rush in a try to fix our problems completely forgetting that God is waiting to respond also. He sees the issue at hand far more clearly than ourselves and knows the best solution.
We do what we can, but He will do what He wills.
And it will always be good.
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