"i'm On An Unsinkable Ship."

SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES

(Acts 27:27) "But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country;"

(Acts 27:28-29) [28] "And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms." [29] "Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day."

(Acts 27:30-31) [30] "And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship," [31] "Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved."

(Acts 27:32-34) [32] "Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off." [33] "And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing." [34] "Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you."

PREFACE SUMMARY

As I reflect on the sinking of the Titanic Ocean liner, I want to make it clear that I don't believe God caused this tragedy intentionally. However, I think God allowed it to happen for a reason we may not fully understand. Some may argue it was due to human error, while others may suggest it was a natural disaster.

Regardless of the cause, the loss of over one thousand lives is a heartbreaking tragedy. We may never know why God allowed this event, but we can trust that he is sovereign and has a plan we may not comprehend. Let us honor the lives lost by reflecting on the lessons we can learn from this tragedy and strive to prevent such disasters in the future.

"My dear friend, whenever I think of the ship built by man and claimed to be unsinkable even by God, I am reminded of the journey of the Apostle Paul to Rome. The events that unfolded during the journey were incredible, and God's hand was evident. These events are documented in the book of Acts chapter twenty-seven and involve a ship, a crew, and God's divine intervention."

Paul was being transported as a prisoner to Rome to stand before Caesar. He was arrested for preaching the gospel, and this journey was part of his trial. The journey took place in winter, and the weather conditions were challenging. Strong winds and rough seas made sailing difficult, and the crew faced many difficulties. However, God was with them and helped them through the storm.

The Apostle Paul's journey to Rome was long and treacherous, spanning several months. The journey started from Caesarea, and Paul and other prisoners were put on board a ship headed to Rome. However, the boat encountered harsh weather conditions and was eventually lost. God's hand was evident throughout the journey, protecting the crew and passengers despite the challenges.

During the journey, Paul warned the crew of the impending danger, but they did not listen. Despite this, God spared the lives of everyone on board when the ship hit a sandbar. After this incident, the crew and passengers were stranded on Malta, welcomed and provided with food.

The scriptures mention that they were leaving a port called Fair Haven. The scriptures also state that after many nights at sea, the shipmen deemed or realized that they were drawing near to some country. There are some things that we can glean from our scriptural references that caught my attention, and still catches my attention today some thirty years later.

1. The ship had left a place called Fair Haven (place of safety) and did it entering the winter months.

2. Paul made the promise that if the men listened and obeyed the instructions the Angel of the Lord had given him, everyone would be saved.

3. Paul assured everyone that although there will be loss of the ship, not one hair would fall from the head of the men who stayed in the ship.

Dear reader, whenever I shower or comb my hair, I cannot help but notice that I lose at least one strand of hair. It's a common experience for many people and can sometimes be frustrating.

The Apostle Paul provides a comforting assurance to the people that if they follow the instructions given by the Angel of the Lord, they will be saved and protected from harm. Paul remained calm and told the people that if they listened to the Angel of the Lord and followed his instructions, they would all be saved. He even said that no hair from anyone's head would be lost.