Acts 27:13-44

“How is it going?” This is a common greeting, and something we ask ourselves often. The nature of life is such that the answer is always changing.

When a gentle breeze began to blow, the ship with Paul and his companions weighed anchor and took sail. It was going good, but before very long a hurricane force wind began to blow and the ship could make no headway against it. Things were going badly, and by the third day, the crew had given up all hope of being saved.

Paul was not perfect, and he proved it by saying in not so many words, “I told you so.” Then he told them to take courage, and gave them good news. An angel the Lord had assured him that no lives would be lost.

After fourteen days, the sailors sensed that they were nearing land. In an attempt to escape, the sailors lowered the lifeboats, and they were going to leave their passengers to perish. After Paul warned the centurion and soldiers, they cut free the lifeboats and prevented the Sailors from abandoning them.

Paul urged everyone to eat, and after doing so, everyone helped to throw the grain and everything else overboard to lighten the ship. In spite of all their efforts, the ship ran aground, and began to break up. The soldiers made plans to kill the prisoners to prevent their escape. It did not seem to be going great for Paul.

The centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life so he prevented the soldiers from killing the prisoners. Everyone who could swim jumped overboard and headed to land. Those who could not swim made it to shore on pieces of the ship. In this way, all 276 people made it to shore safely.

We cannot know the immediate future; therefore, it is impossible to know how earthly things are really going. That is OK, the temporary is not our primary concern; our concern is eternal. “How is it going?” It is going to be an eternity in heaven.