Acts 27:33-38

Acts 27:33-38
English Standard Version (ESV)

  What makes the sea so terrifying to many is the unknown.  You can't see what's down there, and there are a few creature who aspire to do more than just nibble on your toes.  Being in a small boat in the midst of a storm in the dark and chaotic ocean fills the heart with uncertainty -- what will happen to me?  Can I make it to shore?  Are the waves too much?  Can I endure?
  These are questions we ask of many situations that face us.  Do we have the strength to persevere in the face of trials?  Do we have the resources, the energy, the ability to keep putting one foot in front of the other when the waves of life are crashing?  Is there hope beyond the next wave?
  To the 250 souls in the boat, Paul assures them that they will not perish.
  To the depth of your soul, God assures you that you will not perish.  Through the power and love of Jesus Christ, who established that death itself cannot hold him, you have seen that God is stronger than violence and Christ is stronger than death.  We worship the Victor, who not only triumphs over darkness but also abides with us in the midst of the storms.  When the darkness surrounds us and the waves crash upon us, Christ is with us, reminding us of the power of the Spirit and pointing us towards the hope within and beyond us.