Providence in the Storm

We are nearing the end of Acts---just 3 sermons left---as we see Paul being sent off to Rome. He does not know what awaits him, only that he will have the opportunity to proclaim Jesus there. But the trip is, well, less than uneventful. Even though Paul warns them not to set out to sea, the captain knows better, and as a result, they are swept up in a hurricane- like storm that hurls them out to open sea, drifting for days, and ending up shipwrecked on an island. The story of the storm just does not make sense in Acts---God's plan was for Paul and his buddies to get to Rome, but the storm came anyway, and the mission seemed threatened. They end up shipwrecked on Malta, and then Paul gets bitten by a snake. On the one hand, the storm came out of nowhere and seemed to disrupt the plan. On the other hand, the story reminds us of God's providence; His unseen hand guiding the events of life and His presence in the storm. So, we are reminded that following Jesus does not guarantee we won't have storms; yet, we can know that God is present in the storm and His purpose for us will be accomplished because of them.