July 10

July 10

1 Chron. 9:1-10:14

Acts 27:21-44

Psalm 8:1-9

Proverbs 18:23-24

In the midst of countless obstacles, frustrations and setbacks today we see Paul speak a word of encouragement and hope to everyone aboard the ship.

"I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship…"(v.7) Paul goes onto explain the visitation he had from an angel and later instructs everyone to eat, reminding them that not a hair on their head will perish. Bold words considering their current plight! 

While everything around him looked hopeless, Paul rested in the word he had received from God that while there were more challenges to come, He would see them through. A word from God in the midst of a harrowing circumstance can change everything. While the circumstances weren't immediately resolved, Paul's perspective was infused with confidence in God. 

Like Ruth wrote yesterday, often our first instinct in the midst of a storm is to look to our own strength and our own solutions to get ourselves out of whatever we're facing. A friend reminded me recently "Prayer and listening God is an active solution." While a storm is raging, how can we attune our ear to what God is saying? His words of life and promise spoken over us can buoy us in the midst of storms. 

Maybe you're not going through a storm right now. How can you train your ear to be sensitive to God's words of hope and promise even in the midst of the mundane? Usually the reflexes we develop in our every day lives will be our reflex when a storm hits. 

God, when we hear you speak into our lives and circumstances, it changes everything. I pray for my brothers and sisters experiencing storms this morning, that You will provide a word of encouragement and hope that would strengthen their hearts. Give us the grace to experience Your nearness as we persevere through storms with our confidence fully in You.