acts 27, “As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard.”
I have been on a sail ship in a Northeaster on Long Island Sound. We lost a tied down life boat and where minutes, at one time, away from capsizing. At sea in a storm without a lifeboat is one of the most despairing places to breathe, to be. So, now the storm comes for Paul and Luke and Julius and others….
The Storm
13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”
‘Do not be afraid, … God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.’
Fear is an ever present emotion. I can be afraid of death, and life. I have felt calm and anxious; care fill and care free.
In either situation, in my feeling, all I can do to what is the crew on Paul’s boat does: cast.
They cast away the ship’s cargo and tackle. They cast time, days in rains and winds, away.
But till Paul, and through Paul, Jesus, speaks to the crew, they all can not do what Peter instructs all leaders, all people to do in storms,
1 Peter 5:7, NIV: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
And after having Jesus at his side, during a night storm, that is what Paul does:
he casts it all away.
today, cast
charles osewalt's blog 
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