Covered by Grace
The Book of Acts, chapter 28, describes Paul’s ordeal on the island of Melita.
Paul, along with other prisoners, were shipwrecked. They had escaped from the centurion who had orders to kill them if they tried to escape the ship. These men had been driven by a tremendous storm to Melita, which lies between Sicily and Africa. It may appear that they were without hope, but the Lord had already shown Paul that there would be no loss of human life from the shipwreck.
Once on dry land, Paul found the inhabitants of this island to be helpful, caring and kind. These folks on the island were not Christian people, but they showed more mercy than many Christians would have shown. They did not try to take advantage of the shipwrecked individuals. They did not try to plunder the spoils of the ship.
The islanders even made room for the survivors and brought them all inside a large hall and built a fire so they could dry themselves and their clothes. (As I pen this story, it is “Mississippi hot,” but I can imagine how it must have felt when these wet, cold, scared individuals received kindness at the hand of strangers. Can we who are followers of Christ do any less? The stranger may be someone in line at the grocery store or in the waiting room in the doctor’s office. A genuine gesture of kindness is never lost.)
Upon arriving on the island, Paul sprang into action. This servant preacher immediately went to work to comfort those around him. Demonstrating a humble spirit, Paul went outside the warmth of the great hall to gather wood for the fire. Paul picked up a snake with the sticks. Once the snake was sufficiently warm, it latched on to Paul’s hand and bit him.
Sometimes it appears even when we try to do what is right, it does not insulate us from the fury of a storm. We may still endure some type of loss. No sooner than we go through one storm, another one knocks us over before we can recover from the first incident. No matter how we try to hide, no matter how we try to guard against the storms of life, the storms keep coming. But let me tell you this, even during a storm, you are covered by God’s grace.
Words of encouragement can be found in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.”
The inhabitants of the island noticed that a viper had bitten Paul. They thought that he must have been a murderer who had gotten away from man’s justice but would have to suffer divine justice. They did realize that not all justice is handed out in this life. However, they were mistaken about Paul. They made the same mistake as Job’s friends. Neither group understood that good men (as well as good women and children) oftentimes are afflicted in this life. May I remind you that adversity in a believer will build faith and worketh patience (James 1:3-4).
Paul, with a snake hanging onto his hand, just shook the viper from his hand. The people waited for Paul to die! They waited. They waited and they waited. There is an appointed time for each person to die. When grace abounds, the world cannot pronounce judgement on believers. The grace of God will ease your mind even when you are under attack. Paul did not jump or shout when the snake latched onto his hand. He got rid of the snake immediately. Grace allows you to move the enemy out of your life. If you let the enemy hang around too long, the enemy will commit grave damage.
All believers are beneficiaries of God’s Amazing Grace. Grace transforms you. Grace makes the heart tender (Ezekiel 11:19), so that we can represent God as we go about our daily duties. It is grace which grows us spiritually from day to day and year to year.
St. James AME Church is located at 360 Dorothy St. in Charleston and worship service is held on the first and third Sundays of each month at 11 am. You may also join the services on Zoom, pastorv.com.
