Verse of the Day 6/28

Through the Bible - Job 15-17, Acts 9:10- 31

Over the weekend my wife and I watched the movie "Invictus".  Powerful movie about Nelson Mandela and his influence on the nation through the national rugby team.  He attributed his inner strength to the difference this poem  by William Earnest Henley made in his life.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

 

As Christians we realize that it is not our own inner strength that gets us through the storms and shipwrecks of life, but the power of Jesus Christ working in and through us.  A devotional this weekend from Gregg Laurie was fitting in that he pointed to Jesus as the Captain of our soul.  He referenced two passages, the first is when Jesus, preaching from the boat, told the disciples to head out to the deeper waters for a catch.

Luke 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish."

 

5 "Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again."  NLT

The word used for master is "epistates" which means "commander" or "captain".  Peter was submitting to Jesus as captain of the ship.  It went against his training, but because Jesus told him to, he changed course and the course of his life was changed.

 

The other passage was from Acts 27 where Paul was being transferred to face trial and the ship he was on ended up being shipwrecked.  The captain of the ship wouldn't change course but Paul was able to convince those on board that not a life would be lost.  The course of their lives was changed by God.  Not because of what he could do but because he had faith in God and that He was the true Captain of the boat and their souls.  We'll go there for today's verse:

Acts 27:25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. NLT

A stoic may get by having a strong will.  He may be captain of his life, his soul but does not truly know his destination.  A Christian realizes that he is not the captain of his soul, but knows who it is that is, Jesus Christ, and it is He that will bring him to his/her final destination.  He will bring us to the other side, where it will be "just as He said."

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Acts 27:13-27

 

The Storm at Sea

 

13 When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. 14 But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a "northeaster") caught the ship and blew it out to sea. 15 They couldn't turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.

 

16 We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. 17 Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind.

 

18 The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. 19 The following day they even took some of the ship's gear and threw it overboard. 20 The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.

 

21 No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, "Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. 22 But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. 23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 24 and he said, 'Don't be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What's more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.' 25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. 26 But we will be shipwrecked on an island."  NLT