Acts 27:1-8: a reflection

1When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. 2Embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica being with us. 3The next day, we touched at Sidon. Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him permission to go to his friends and refresh himself. 4Putting to sea from there, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5When we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy, and he put us on board. 7When we had sailed slowly many days, and had come with difficulty opposite Cnidus, the wind not allowing us further, we sailed under the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 8With difficulty sailing along it we came to a certain place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.

Paul, a prisoner, is put aboard ship to sail for Rome, and the voyage is hard from the start. The winds are contrary; the ship makes slow, difficult progress, sailing under the shelter of islands to escape the headwinds, arriving with difficulty at one port after another. It is a journey against the wind, laborious and slow. And yet, woven into the account, is a small mercy: Julius, the centurion in charge, treated Paul kindly and let him visit his friends to be cared for. Even on the hard voyage, God provided kindness.

Notice the two things held together: the contrary winds and the kindness. The winds were genuinely against them; the going was slow and hard, and would only get worse. But God did not leave Paul without kindness in it. Through Julius, a Roman officer with no particular reason to be gracious to a prisoner, God provided real kindness, permission, care, refreshment, along the difficult way. The headwinds were real; so was the kindness God supplied within them.

That is often the shape of our hard journeys. The winds are contrary; progress is slow and difficult; the going is against us. But God does not usually leave us without kindnesses along the way, small mercies, unexpected graces, people who treat us kindly when they had no reason to. He provides these within the hard journey, not instead of it. When you are making slow, hard progress against the wind, look for the kindnesses God supplies along the way. The headwinds may be real, but so are the mercies. God gives kindness for the hard road.

Lord, Paul's voyage was slow and hard against contrary winds, and yet you provided kindness through Julius along the way. When my own journey is against the wind, laborious and slow, help me see the kindnesses you supply within it, the small mercies, the unexpected graces, the people who treat me kindly. Thank you that you do not leave me without kindness on the hard road. Give me eyes to see your mercies even in the headwinds, and grace to endure.