“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved” (Acts 27:20).
Maybe everyone has at some time had the feeling of hopelessness. Without Jesus we encounter situations that are beyond our control. All hope is gone. The storm we are experiencing is just too much for us. The good news about Jesus is that we are not alone and we are not without hope.
Reading this verse without reading the rest of the story would lead to the conclusion that the entire ship and its inhabitants perished. They didn’t. They all survived because God intervened.
When we face moments of crisis we may not see a way out. It is easy to look at circumstances and draw the wrong conclusion. We may even say with Luke, “All hope is gone.” Don’t give up. When God is on our side hope is never lost. Storms can’t overwhelm us because God is greater than any storm. Jesus proved that in the Gospels, God proved that in the book of Acts and God is still proving it in our lives. As Paul said to the Roman church, “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 (NLT).
