Unexpected Blessings At The End Of The Storm

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.  The islanders showed us unusual kindness.  They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.  Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.  When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped form the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live."  But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.  The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island.  He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably.  His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery.  Paul went in to see him and , after prayer,placed his hands on him and healed him.  When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.  They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed. 

Acts 28:1-10



In spite of Paul's not wanting to sail, he is forced as a prisoner to go, and gets to experience what a violent storm at sea is like, ending in a shipwreck.  They land on an island called Malta, where they find the people who live there are friendly and helpful. 

Paul, true to his character, is going about doing the work that needs to be done and is gathering firewood to keep the ship wreck survivors warm.  In his work, he gets bitten by a viper but suffers no side effects, and the local people call Paul a 'god.'

As their stay on the island goes on, Paul heals the island chief's father, and the "rest of the sick on the island" as well.  In turn, when they were able to sail again, all they needed was supplied to them.

For someone who didn't want to be on this journey in the first place and who was foretold that there was going to be loss and hardship, Paul kept an impeccable attitude.  He is recorded as being encouraging, caring, someone with vision, hard working, faithful, and sharing.  Because of Paul's life, the centurion spared the prisoners from being put to death by the soldiers, and everyone makes it to shore safely.  The fact that Paul survives a viper's bite earns him an audience with the highest public official on Malta where he heals the man's father.  This in turn enables Paul to heal the rest of the sick.  To do that takes a lot of faith and Paul was the man who had it.  Through him the locals had their faith built up enough to be healed also.

It is recorded that there were 276 people on the ship.  It is also recorded that just before they were ship wrecked, they lightened the ship by throwing all the wheat overboard.  So when it was time to sail, they needed food for the journey and the people of Malta.  That was their gesture of thanks to Paul for his ministry there.  Paul didn't horde it for himself or ask for what only he could use himself, but got supplies for everyone.  A perfect example of selflessness.

I have to ask myself if I have had the same attitude through my 'storm' as Paul did through his?

I wonder if I cared selflessly about others and worked for them to the best of my ability?

Do I have the faith to heal those who God would direct me to?

Can I get back on that ship once it is ready to sail again, especially since I didn't want to go on it in the first place?

How about you?

Can you relate to any of what Paul has gone through in your own life?