The storm was still raging. Their ship was being broken to pieces on a sandbank some distance from the shore, but all the 276 passengers and crew from the shipwreck crawled safely out of the crashing waves unto the beach. Among them was the Apostle Paul. One of his friends, a doctor called Luke, wrote the diary telling what happened.
“We found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders … built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
“Paul gathered a pile of brushwood, as he put it on the fire a viper … fastened itself on his hand. When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, ‘This man must be a murderer, for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him live.’” (verses 1-4.)
But the islanders were wrong about Paul. Paul was a prisoner, because he preached the Gospel of Christ. The Jews hated Paul, because the message he preached about Jesus Christ declared that it was not religion, or the keeping of the Law of God, that made sinners acceptable with God. (Acts 13:38-39. Galatians 2:16.) Jesus was the Way! (John 14:6.)
The Jews wanted him killed, and he had not been getting a fair trial in Israel, so he appealed to Caesar; resulting in him being taken to Rome under guard.
It was neither fate nor chance that had any part in Paul’s life - or yours! The true God, whom Paul served, controls and uses every detail of the circumstances of life. (Psalm 139:1-16. Romans 8:28.) He is well able to work out His purposes and plan, even when people make foolish mistakes at their own expense! This shipwreck could have been avoided; but God’s warnings had been ignored. (Acts 27:21-26.)
“Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.” They were all waiting for him to swell up, or suddenly fall down dead. But, when nothing happened to him, they said, “He is a god!” (verses 5-6.)
So, instead of the snake bite causing people to condemn Paul, God used it to get the people to see and know that God was with Paul, and that they should pay attention to him.
Do YOU see God as the Almighty One, who is in control of even the difficult circumstances of YOUR life? - Your “shipwrecks”, and your “snake-bites”! If you can trust Jesus to be your Priest and Saviour, then surely you will be able to trust His continuing love and care! (Romans 5:1-11. 8:31-32.) Remember, God becomes your Heavenly FATHER through your faith in Jesus Christ. (John 1:12-13.)
When you know the Almighty God as YOUR FATHER it makes a lot of difference to how you receive the “bad news” in life. Fate or faith? You will no longer see it as FATE, but as happenings that you can have FAITH in God to use for His glory. (Psalm 112:7. 23:1-6.)
Read Acts chapter 28, verses 1-6.
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