A Prepared Ship

Daily Devotional for April 18^th

Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.. Acts 27:17-19 

Have you found yourself this morning in the midst of a storm?  Are there uncontrollable winds and forces rocking your ship to and fro?  Although you’re trying with all of your strength to keep your life from running aground, the winds keep blowing you against treacherous rocks.  If this is happening, then it could be time to change the posture of your ship.  This world’s winds are enough fierce at times, we are forced to rig the ship from a sailing posture to a surviving posture. 

In this storm, the sailors were preparing the ship for survival.  They undergirded the ship; meaning they pulled ropes and rigging around the underside of the ship to reinforce it.  It was the part of the ship no one saw that needed strengthening.  God wants to do this same thing in your life today.  How does He undergird us?  Did you know that the part of your life no one sees is the most important part of you?  Your heart must be prepared.  Some people are one storm away from forsaking God.  This must not be evident in your life. 

Next they strake sail; meaning they lowered the sails to keep the winds from pushing the ship.  There are times when sailing turns to surviving.  God is so interested in your survival He will stop your travels.  God knows what lies ahead.  The Lord knows we must pull our sails down to survive.  But this will be done at the Captain’s bidding; not ours.  There are also things we welcome in our lives which cause the devil’s winds to move us.  If these are evident in your life, then they must be pulled down and removed in order for you to survive.

After they continued to be tossed by the tempest, they lightened the ship by casting out materials that weighed the ship down.  If you aren’t careful, you will accumulate unnecessary cargo in your life’s ship that will cause you to become so heavily burdened you run the chance of shipwreck in the storm.  During the storm, you realize what is most important to you.  Are you holding on to this world’s goods but they are dragging you down?  Cast them overboard!  They’re not worth it.  Lighten your ship.  If you’ll prepare your ship, you’ll survive the storm.