Trouble in Paradise: Sink or Swim

"Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. . . . The islanders showed us unusual kindness. . . .“This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” . . .  they changed their minds and said he was a god." Acts 28: 1-10

Beach on the Island of Malta

     Paul and the crew sailing to Italy had just survived shipwreck, washing ashore on the Island of Malta.  Ahhh, solid ground! Kind islanders! A bonfire! 

     Always one to pitch in and do his part, Paul grabbed a pile of brushwood and dropped it on the growing fire.  A sudden pain gripped Paul's hand. He probably thought a spark from the fire had landed on him, but looked down to see a poisonous snake latched on tightly and dangling from his hand.  

     The Islanders also saw the snake attached to Paul and the speculation and gossip started:

Hmmm. - He survived a shipwreck to be attacked by a poisonous snake?
Hmmm. - He's one of the prisoners from the ship, right? What did he do?
Hmmm. - Must've been bad - like murder!
Hmmm. - Justice says it's payback time.

     Then, Paul shook the snake off of his hand and into the fire to sizzle. 

Hmmm. - He's still walking.
Hmmm. - His color's good.
Hmmm. - No swelling. No blistering. Nothing unusual about his hand.

       *Crickets     *Crackling fire    *Campground songs

Hmmm. - He must be a god to survive both the storm and the snake!

       It's human nature to either vilify or deify people, but no one quite knew what to do with Paul.  He prophesied terrible storms and he was right.  He said "I told you not to sail now," but then shared his faith in God's goodness to encourage hopeless people on a beleaguered ship.  He shared visions of angels and God's promises, and the people lived on those promises for days. He was bitten by a poisonous snake, but shook it off and refused to die. Villain or god?  Neither. Rather, a man of God.

    The literal storms and snakes in Paul's life could have left him faith-shaken; instead, he shook them off and left deep tracks on sandy Malta beaches, turning the hearts of a people from false fertility gods to the One True God. ( http://www.malta.com/en/about-malta/culture/religion-in-malta)
     As Paul swallowed salt water and fought to stay afloat, he shouted encouragement and buoyed his fellow passengers.  Rather than allowing the snake to paralyze him in fear, he fried the poisonous thing. He, a prisoner, prayed for a bed-ridden Islander and God used him to heal all the sick people on the island.  In the middle of snakes and storms, he turned from his own perilous situations to impact a culture with his powerful faith in God. 

Dear Father,  We're so easily discouraged by storms and snakes, but we want to be like Paul - looking out for others and helping them latch onto You.  Give us faith where we lack it.  Increase our compassion. May Your Presence weigh heavily in us so our footprints lead them to You.
In the Name of the Only True Savior, Jesus!

The Gift of A Handicap

Picture the fishermen disciples in their fishing boat facing a strength-gaining storm.  They've used up all their ideas, their knowledge, their prowess, their skill to solve the problem, but even 2,000 years later we don't know how to stop a storm.  Then lightning reveals a figure walking calmly toward them on the water. Jesus. 

Feel the heat as Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego are hustled closer to the fiery furnace and see soldiers ahead of them fall dead from the intensity of the blaze. A quick, hard push and the flames lick impotently at their tender flesh. And Who stands waiting for them? God In Flesh - the Fourth Man in the fiery furnace - Jesus. 

Nowhere in Scripture does it say "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Nor was Christ a proponent of "self-made men."  These ideas drip off proud human tongues.  God installs the furnaces, throws down challenges and commissions us to helpless positions for one reason: to reveal Himself as our shelter, our asbestos, our Hope, our Friend and our God.

Paul learned to see his weakness as a God-gift and found Christ walking with him in his own storms and furnaces. 
Notice the phrase "the gift of a handicap."

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, 
           and so I wouldn’t get a big head, 
I was given the gift of a handicap 
           to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. 
Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; 
           what he in fact did was push me to my knees. 
No danger then of walking around high and mighty! 
At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. 
Three times I did that, and then He told me, 
          'My grace is enough; it’s all you need. 
          My strength comes into its own in your weakness.'
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. 
     I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. 
It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. 
Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, 
          these limitations that cut me down to size—
               abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. 
I just let Christ take over!
And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.   
2 Corinthians 12:8-10  (The Message - italics are mine)

I can't. You can't. We all can't.
God can.

When it's all too much, too big, too intense, too rocky, too sticky, too uncertain - remember our weaknesses are Grace-gifts. Praise God, He's about to reveal Himself through our humble obedience.  

Lord, help us stop focusing on our handicaps, comparing our strengths, and expecting ourselves to be anything but limited humans.  You designed us to be needy and weak so we would run to You. May we be like the three who faced the furnace, allowing You to reveal Yourself through our obedience.  Guide us not to turn molehills into mountains (and many of our "crises" are molehills) but help us stand down as You move the mountains. 
In the Name of Jesus Who revealed Your Glory through His obedience