Then he took some bread,
gave thanks to God…and broke off a piece and ate it. Acts 27:35
Taken
by itself, this verse is not particularly noteworthy—until we consider its
context. 276 terrified sailors had not eaten for two weeks while the wind
continued to slam them like a WWF wrestler. Shouting above the storm, Paul
calmly informed the panicked crew that they were about to be shipwrecked. Then
he passed out the Happy Meals and thanked God—while thunder cracked and rain
threatened to sink them. This was no routine prayer over the pizza. This was
white-knuckle, hang-on-to-the banister kind of praying, because they saw no
reason to be thankful. Do you think the sailors said, “Amen?”
It’s
easy to thank God after the storm has passed—after you get the job, the spouse,
or the award. But Faith thanks God beforehand.
Faith is always gazing into the heart of a wise and loving God. Faith thanks
God while the storm still rages because it refuses to give up hope—not hope
that everything will turn out the way we want, but hope that it will turn out
as God wants. Faith chooses to believe that what God wants is superior to what
we want and thanks Him that He is in charge.
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