Storm

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Acts 27:13-26

TO CHEW ON: "Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called a 'Northeaster,' swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.” Acts 27:14,15

At last Paul was getting his wish. He was on his way to Rome to appear before Caesar. Perhaps he was hopeful Caesar would rule that all the accusations the Jewish leaders had made against him were false.

"Paul heads to Rome" - Johann C. Weigel, 1695

Much of the trip had to be made by ship. The first part of Paul's voyage was smooth.

"Sailing the Mediterranean by ship" - Artist unknown (from H. D. Northrop's Treasures of the Bible - 1894).

But after the ship left Crete a storm came up. Quickly the sea became so fierce there was nothing the captain and crew could do. They were at the mercy of the wind and waves

Everyone was terrified. Everyone, that is, except Paul. Why was Paul not afraid? Acts 27:23-24 (Choose one):

1. An angel had told him they would all be saved.
2. He had a good eye for weather and could see the storm was breaking up.
3. God had told him he would be swallowed by a fish.

Sometimes we find ourselves in storms. They might be literal storms - a snowstorm, tornado or flood. Or they might be a bad thing that feels like a storm - an accident, sickness or death. God does not keep storms away from us. But like God was with Paul, he will be with us in our storms.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to trust You in every kind of storm. Amen.


SUPERSIZE IT: Your Storms
1. What is the worst storm you’ve ever been in?
Describe it. How did you feel? What happened?

2. A “Storm Psalm” - Next time you are in a storm, read Psalm 91 to remind you that God can protect and save you.


ANSWERS



*********
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Runaway

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Jonah 1:1-15


TO CHEW ON: "But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord." Jonah 1:3

Have you ever been asked to do a job you really didn’t want to do?
Did you a] do it anyway or b] try to avoid it. If you tried to avoid it - how?

Jonah was an avoider. One day God gave him a job. “Go to the city of Nineveh and preach against its wickedness.”

But Jonah didn’t want to. Instead, he went the opposite direction. In the city of Joppa he bought a ticket and set sail for Joppa.

Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission. 


Soon a violent storm came up. The wind and waves tossed the boat so fiercely the sailors were sure they would all sink. They threw baggage into the sea and prayed to their gods to stop the storm.

All the while, Jonah was sleeping. The captain found him. “Get up. Pray to your God,” he said.

But still the storm raged. Finally the sailors decided to find out if anyone on board was responsible. They cast lots (sort of like picking straws or flipping a coin). The lot fell to – Jonah.

“Who are you and what have you done?” the sailors asked.

“I’m a Hebrew,” he answered. “And I admit, the storm is my fault. I’m running away from God. If you throw me overboard, the storm will stop.”

The sailors didn’t want to do that. Instead they threw more cargo overboard. But it didn’t help. Finally, in desperation, they did what Jonah said. They threw him into the churning water.


Immediately the storm quieted.

Jonah tried to get out of doing what God asked by running away. Of course he couldn’t. How about you? Could you ever run far enough or hide well enough so God couldn’t find you?

PRAYER: Dear God, You know exactly where I am at all times. Help me to always live with that in mind. Amen.


MORE: God Watching – Comfort or Problem?
Knowing that God sees us always can be either a comfort or a problem. Most of the time it’s a comfort. But it could also be a problem. Put an X beside each time, below, when God seeing you would feel like a problem:
1. ___ You helped a friend with homework.
2. ___ You cheated on a test.
3. ___ You got lost in the woods.
4. ___ You helped a person in a wheelchair.
5. ___ You took money from Mom’s purse.
6. ___ You’re having fun at Disneyland.

ANSWERS

************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Adult readers - DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR ADULTS  are available too at Other Food: daily devo's. 

Water Water Everywhere

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Read Genesis 7:24-8:12

Noah welcoming the bird back to the ark - Artist unknown

TO CHEW ON: "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded." (Genesis 8:1)

Have you ever been stuck in the house for a week because of a snow-storm? You were probably kept at home for weeks to months during the Covid-19 pandemic. Or perhaps you’ve been forced to leave home and stay in a school gym or church basement for a long time because your house was in the way of a forest fire, flood, or tornado. Whatever the reason, it’s hard to stay cooped up in a small space for a long time, isn’t it?

Imagine how Noah and his family felt after the ark’s door was shut and it began to rain. If rain had ever fallen on earth before, it had never come down like this! First the ground was covered. Then the ark began to float. If the ark would have had windows, Noah and his family would have seen first the treetops disappear under water, then the hilltops, then the mountaintops. Can’t you imagine them asking, “Will this never end?”

But it did. After 40 days and nights the rain stopped. After 150 days the water began to go down After 224 days the mountaintops showed again.

In the same way your problems have an end too. Your hard year of school finishes. You make friends in your new home. Your dad gets another job. You recover from a long illness. Just like God remembered Noah, He remembers you.

PRAYER: Dear God thank You for remembering me when I feel like something hard will never end. Thank You for sending Your help just in time. Amen.
 

SECOND HELPING: Weather Calamity

1. What sorts of weather or natural disasters happen where you live?
Floods | Fires | Drought | Insect plagues | Earthquakes | Tsunamis | Tornados | Other _____

2. Have you lived through one of these?

3. What happened?

4. How did it end?

************
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.