0426 TOLD YOU SO

SEE I TOLD YOU SO . . . IT’S OKAY

Paul is on a ship heading to Rome, placed under the custody of a Roman officer named Julius. They had several delays due to strong headwinds in the first parts of their journey. The captain has been trying to push through so that they will not be stuck in a distant, dangerous port through the winter.

Here’s how Luke describes the situation: “We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it.”

And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure.”

If I had been a Christian advisor to this group, I probably would have sided with the captain. Here’s a quick summary:

Paul: I believe there is trouble ahead if we leave now.

Julius: Captain, what do you think?

Captain: Fair Havens here is an exposed harbor. Let’s compromise. We should go on to Phoenix, on up the coastline.

Julius: So what do you think we should do? 

Captain: I’d say let’s make a run for it

Julius: Sounds good. I’m with you.

Captain: Look! A light wind just began blowing from the south!

Julius: Sounds like the gods are telling us we’ll be okay! 

Captain: Let’s go!

Julius: We’re with you all the way!

Paul: I’m telling you, troubles await.

Captain: We’ll be fine. We’ll just sail closely along the coast. What’s the worst that could happen?

(Later…)

Julius: Hey, we’re finally making good time. I’ve never been in a ship that went so fast! Well done, captain! Wait! Why are we going THIS way?

Captain: The storm is driving us out to sea! Lower the sea anchor! 

Julius: The gale-force winds are continuing to batter the ship!

Captain: Throw everything overboard!

Julius: It has been days now! 

Captain: All hope is gone! No one has eaten, we are exhausted, and we just might all die!

Paul: “Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss.”

Captain: You are right! All is lost! Alas! I’ll go down with the ship! 

Paul: But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. 

and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’”

Captain: What are you saying, Paul?

Paul: I’m saying I told you so, that’s what I’m saying. That’s because God told ME so. But now an angel of God has told me that I will surely stand trial before Caesar! And whenever God calls me “surely” I know it will happen as he said. . . . But, by the way, we will be shipwrecked here.

Captain: Huh?!

Paul: I told you so! But it’s okay. God’s got this. 

As I say, I think I would have sided with the captain on this, being anxious to get home rather than spend months away due to bad sailing season. I might have taken the moment of good weather as a sign that we could sneak in the trip before the seasonal storms arrived. But, of course, I would have been wrong.

But God’s got this. I would have lost my ship and all that was on board. But my life would have been spared–spared to reflect all winter on Paul’s “I told you so.”