Paul was travelling to Rome as a prisoner under a Roman guard. The journey was long and arduous and winter was fast approaching. When they reached Fair Havens, Paul said, "Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also." He was all for wintering at Fair Havens.
However, the centurion, the pilot and the ship owner decided to try for Phoenix as a more suitable winter harbour. On the first good day, they set sail. According to Luke, "before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the 'northeaster,' swept down." The next day, they threw the cargo overboard. On the third day, Luke reported, "they began to throw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved."
At the lowest point, Paul said, "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss." But then he also said that an angel of the Lord had appeared to him and he was told that while the ship will eventually be lost, no one of them will die.
Two weeks into the storm, at around midnight, the sailors sensed that they were near land. Three soundings showed they were approaching land - fast. They dropped four anchors and prayed for daylight. Some tried to sneak a lifeboat away but Paul said, "Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved." and the soldiers stopped them.
Paul encouraged the company to eat something and not lose hope. "Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head." He took some bread, gave thanks and broke it. Altogether, Luke said, "there were 276 of us on board." After their simple meal, they threw the rest of the food overboard.
Dawn revealed an island with a bay and sandy beach. They cut loose the anchors, untied the ropes tying down the rudder, hoisted a sail and ran for the beach. They slam into a hidden sandbar and the ship start to break apart. The Roman soldiers decided to kill the prisoners but their centurion stopped them because of Paul. He ordered everyone swim for shore, using flotsam if necessary.
Everybody, swimmer and non-swimmer alike, survive the wild surf and made it to shore safely.
This little story illustrates for me what God is like. He gives the people a stern and clear warning that if they continue to do what they are doing they will end up in disaster and death. But He steps in to save them from their own stupidity anyway. It's what a loving Father would do.
This story also explains for me why Jesus talked so much about hell and the apostles so little. It is Jesus' duty as our Elder Brother to relay Our Father's stern warning that if we continue to do what we're doing, we're going to end up in the burning, garbage dump. It is also Jesus' right to warn us because He will pay our price and save us from our own stupidity.
