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“Sirs,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, injuries, and danger to our lives.
—Acts 27:10
How easily we can be blown off course from the will of God by listening to advice from others instead of listening to a word from the Lord! Paul tried to convince the centurion that he had heard from God concerning great danger to the ship if they set sail from Fair Havens. Nevertheless, the centurion followed the advice of the pilot and the owner of the ship (Acts 27:11).
Someone once said, “We don’t need good advice. We need a word from the Lord!” God does not need decision makers—He needs hearers. In every circumstance, He has a planned way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13), if we will take the time to listen to Him. The pilot and ship’s owner thought they had made the right decision “when a light wind began blowing from the south” (Acts 27:13). How quickly, however, did the dreamy breeze turn into a nightmare storm!
Do not try to discern the right direction with your natural mind, but wait upon the Lord and listen to His counsel. In the end, you will save yourself much heartache, for “the Lord’s purpose will prevail” (Proverbs 19:21). If you follow His counsel, you will discover that God is your shield, “saving those whose hearts are true and right” (Psalm 7:10).
Suggested Reading:
1 Chronicles 7:1-8:40 Acts 27:1-20 Psalm 7:1-17 Proverbs 18:22