George Orjih, a pastor from the northeastern corner of Nigeria, in 2009 was studying for a Masters degree at a seminary in the city of Jos. In the break between terms, he traveled the 300 miles home, in cramped vehicles and on difficult roads, so that he could spend a few weeks with his family and home church. He is described as a loving pastor, “fearless, hardworking, and intellectually sound.” The day after he arrived home, a group of men calling themselves Boko Haram kidnapped him. This group wants Islamic sheria law to apply to everyone who lives in northern Nigeria. George was ordered to deny Jesus and accept Islam. He responded by preaching the Gospel. So he was beheaded on July 28, 2009.

Not 2000 years ago. This century.

Question: When such things happen: Is God really in control? Does He really never leave us nor forsake us? Can we trust Him when we know brothers and sisters in Christ lose their lives?

In Acts 27, we find the Apostle Paul traveling to Rome by ship. As the previous chapters make clear, God orchestrated the travel. The ship experiences a terribly frightening, two-week storm. But in the end, God rescues Paul and all others on board.

So would you say: “Paul had a difficult trial but it had a good ending – I can see God there! But George Orjih had a difficult trial, he was faithful – but the story has a bad ending. I don’t see God there.”

Is that right way to look at these issues?

Consider the contrast between George Orjih and Paul as we look at Luke’s account. Along the way we’ll bring out five principles concerning how we should respond to tough times as we serve our Lord:

• Faith
• Trust
• Pray
• Lead
• Act

Recall that Paul is under arrest, even though many times Roman officials have declared he is not guilty of any charge warranting death or imprisonment. He has appealed for Caesar to review his case, and so is on his way to Rome under the authority of a centurion named Julius, who respects Paul.

Of course, the sailors have no GPS, no sextant, and not even a compass. They navigate by the sun, moon, and stars. Because of storms that are common in the Mediterranean in winter, in Roman times few ships would sail after late September – and none at all from mid-November to mid-February.

Paul’s voyage got a late start, likely in mid-August. Even if all went well, it would be late September before they would reach Rome. But even early on, the winds were contrary, and they are delayed. In early October they are still in Crete, and Paul advises them to sail no farther. But the centurion disregards him; a seemingly good wind blows, and they set sail, hoping to reach Phoenix, a better place to spend the winter on Crete. But then a terrible storm arises, and ship is driven away from the shore. With clouds, wind, and rain, they have no idea where they are. To minimize the chance of sinking, they throw their cargo of wheat into the sea, as well as the ship’s tackle. But, as Acts 17:20 tells us, “When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last abandoned.“

How should Christians feel in such circumstances? How have you felt in similar circumstances?

God promises: “You are My Child. I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Jesus commands us: “Don’t be anxious – your heavenly Father knows what you need. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” But you need air! And it looks like soon you will be breathing water, not air.

Paul here shows us how a Christian should respond. These next few verses bring out our first four principles: Faith, Trust, Pray, Lead.

During a brief time when the wind and rain slow somewhat, Paul addresses the 275 others on board the ship (Acts 17:21-26). After reminding them of his warning not to sail, he encourages them, saying that and angel of God has told him that he will indeed stand before Caesar, and that God will also deliver all on the ship. He concludes, “Take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on some island.”

In this fearful situation, Paul has FAITH in who God is – Faith in the character and attributes of God. Paul himself has preached that God made the “heavens and earth and seas and all that is in them” (Acts 14:15); he knows that God stilled another great storm in the Mediterranean after Jonah was thrown overboard (Jonah 1:15); he knows that Jesus commanded the wind and the waves, and they obeyed Him (Mark 4:39).

But Paul not only has faith in Who God is – he also TRUSTS God with his life. It is one thing to say, “God is mighty;” it’s quite another thing to say, “God will exercise His might on MY behalf.”

Paul has this trust. Indeed, he has written, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all– how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

Paul therefore says: “Christ died for Me! He will give me every good gift I need to fulfill His purposes. So I will trust that this mighty God, who controls wind and waves, is for me and not against me.”

Paul knows that God’s purpose for him includes taking him to Rome (Acts 23:11). Here, on the ship, an angel reminds him of that promise.

Paul has faith. He trusts.

Note he also PRAYS. The angels says, “God has granted you all those who sail with you” (Acts 27:24). “Granted” is the same Greek verb Paul uses Romans 8:32. This implies that Paul has been praying for the lives of his shipmates! “Lord, grant me all those on ship. Save them all, Lord. Show Yourself mighty. Display Your power over this fearful storm. Magnify Your Name by delivering all!”

Paul prays – for the sovereign God works through prayer for His glory.

When you are in trouble: How do you pray? Do you see your trouble as an opportunity to bear witness to the faithfulness of God? Do you see that your reaction to those troubles as a witness to those around you? Do you pray that you would not waste this trial, this difficulty, this tragedy, but that you would use it to display His greatness? Do you pray for those who share your trouble to see Jesus in it?

Fourth: Paul LEADS. He reminds them of his earlier warning not to say, “I told you so,” but to establish that he is reliable. With that point made, he encourages them to take heart. He takes charge. He leads these soldiers, sailors, and passengers.

We have a similar responsibility. If we are in Christ, we have something others don’t. We have an anchor in the storm. We have an understanding of God’s ways. We can come alongside others and encourage them in tragic, difficult circumstances.

But note: It’s not always easy to follow! If you were one the sailors, how would you have responded? Paul says there will be no loss of life – but then says they will lose the ship! How is that even possible? If they run aground on an island, as he says, how could some not die?

Imagine you’re on a flight from Charlotte to Atlanta. There’s tremendous turbulence, and then the engines all fail. One of the passengers stands up and says, “Don’t worry – an angel told me the airplane’s going down, but we all will live!” What Paul says is just as preposterous.

In the middle of the night after two weeks of storm, the sailors hear breakers. They test the depth, and find they are close to land. So, “fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come” (Acts 27:29).

Paul now exhibits the fifth principle: He Acts.

When some sailors try to escape on the ship’s boat, Paul tells the centurion,

“Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go (Acts 27:31-32)

How is that consistent with the angel’s statement to Paul that God has granted him all on the ship? Are they safe or are they not?

Always remember: God is sovereign. Man is responsible. God uses the means of our actions to fulfill His sovereign purpose.

God uses the command of Paul and the obedience of the soldiers to fulfill His promise to save all lives.

This is true for you too.

God promises that His people will endure to the end. And you must commit yourself to a local body, to sit under biblical preaching, to be taught and built up, to serve and grow. God uses that local body to enable you to endure to the end; He uses that local body to fulfill His promise.

Or consider His promise to save those from every tribe and tongue. He commands us, “Go, make disciples of all nations.” We must go. And He uses our obedience to fulfill His promise

Both truths hold: God is sovereign, and we must act.

After Paul encourages those on board to eat some food, they throw the remaining food into the sea, cast of the anchors, and tried to sail to a beach. But they run aground, and, battered by the waves, the ship begins to break into pieces. So there’s still the danger of drowning. In addition, the soldiers decide to kill the prisoners – since they will pay with their lives if any prisoners escape. But the centurion protects Paul and the other prisoners, and in the end all are able to swim or to float on planks to shore.

The prophecy of the angel comes true. The ship is lost. All are saved. In the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, the wind “just happens” to blow them directly to an island. What looked impossible comes to pass.

Conclusion

How, then, should a Christian respond to situations that seem hopeless?

Paul has shown us five principles:

• He has faith in the character and attributes of God. He knows He is sovereign.
• He trusts that God is for Him and not against him, that God will never leave him nor forsake him.
• He prays faithfully for all those around him, and God answers those prayers.
• He leads others in the midst of crisis, helping them to trust in God, and giving all the glory to God.
• He acts trusting in God’s sovereignty – and God uses those acts to work out His sovereign plan.

A wonderful story. God’s servant is faithful. God saves him. God saves all those with him.

But then we have the story of George Orjih, and the thousands and thousands of others like him. George Orjih was faithful. And he was beheaded; his children are now fatherless.

Among us we have stories of how God acted in situations similar to Acts 27, when all turned out well; and among us we have stories of how we prayed and God did not appear to act, and tragedy ensued.

How do we trust a God who sometimes saves us marvelously, but may lead us into pain and suffering that doesn’t appear to have a happy ending? Who may even lead us to martyrdom, like George Orjih?

Two questions to consider:

First: What is the difference between George Orjih and Paul?

Answer: About six years.

George Orjih was kidnapped, made the good confession, and immediately was beheaded. Paul after these events was under house arrest in Rome for two years, released, apparently traveled to Spain and Ephesus, then was arrested again and, six or seven years after this rescue from the storm, shared George Orjih’s fate; he was beheaded.

God saved him marvelously from the storm and the shipwreck. But in the end Paul, like George, died for Jesus.

Second question:

What does God promise you?

Jesus promises you tribulation. And He promises you that He has conquered all of that so that in the midst of tribulation, you might have peace: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

• God does not promise a storm-free life. Instead He promises storms.
• He does not promise protection from the impact of those storms. Instead He promises that He will be with you throughout the storms.
• He does not promise that all around you will be saved from the storm. Instead He commands you to be His witness in the midst of the storm, and He promises that, whether you see it or not, there is a purpose behind every storm.
• He does not promise that you will personally make it to a safe island. Instead He promises that you will make it safe to His heavenly kingdom.

Thus Paul, writing to Timothy six years later, knowing that he’s about to be beheaded, says, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Timothy 4:18).

What does that statement imply? That final beheading was not an evil attack. For Paul’s work was done. The time had come. Paul long ago had written “For me to live is Christ, to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). The Lord rescued him – and in the end, brought him to Himself.

He promises you the same: There will be storms. There will be sorrows. There will be tears and tribulation. But He will be with you. And He will bring you safely to His heavenly Kingdom.

So Trust Him. Follow Him. Test Him. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight. He may well take you through the valley of the shadow of death. But, whether you see him or not, He will be with you in that valley. Goodness and lovingkindness will follow you all the days of your earthly life. And then: you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

[This devotion is a shortened, updated, and edited version of a sermon preached August 9, 2009. The audio of the sermon is available here. We consider some of these same issues this Sunday March 7 as we open up Psalm 91.]