Storm! Shipwreck! It's Alright! - October 13, 2010

Daily Lectionary Reading for October 13, 2010
Psalm 119:25-48
Hosea 13:1-3
Acts 27:9-26
Luke 9:1-17

Acts 27:9-26
Right here towards the end of the book of Acts a Clive Cussler novel breaks out.  There is a storm brewing - Paul counsels not heading into the impending danger, but his advice is not heeded and off they go.  They storm comes, thinks are touch and go and Paul steps forward once again to speak a word of hope - sort of - that is they may lose everything, but they are going to live.  A powerful piece of the story is how we can use the language and vocaublary of this story to talk about the poor decisions we make in life (let's set sail) which result in being caught up in storms and difficulties.  In the midst of all that there is hope - in this story a very specific word of hope from Paul, but a specific word based on a larger promise of God's faithfulness.  When things are tough and your boat is maybe about to be not your boat anymore, God still has a word of hope.

Luke 9:1-17
The passage opens with an instruction to the twelve who are being sent on a missionary journey.  They are told to take nothing with them - to travel light.  Further on we have the story of the feeding of five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish - which typically would not be enough for five thousand people.  In light of the shipwreck story where Paul tells his shipmates that they will survive, but not much of their stuff will survive with them, these stories from Luke drive home the point that we can do much with little in the way of material resources.  And further makes the point that we are our most valuable resource for making a difference.  How will God use us.