“Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.” – Acts 27:34-35
The ship Paul was sailing on was in a desperate situation. They’d been caught up in a terrible storm for two weeks, driven far off course. They were constantly in danger of shipwreck. The movement of the ship was so violent and the efforts to save her so desperate that the crew hadn’t eaten anything that entire time. Paul however was perfectly calm. He’d already been told there was nothing fear and that no one would be lost.
Paul knew his purpose in making the journey: to testify about Jesus Christ in Rome. He knew God’s power to overcome all things, so he knew that God’s purpose in sending him to Rome would be fulfilled. He knew the promise he had received that everyone would be safe. So, no matter how awful the situation was physically, he remained calm spiritually.
Through that calm assurance, the prisoner essentially became the leader on that ship. Though he’d boarded in chains, it was now Paul giving the instructions and advice that the sailors and soldiers obeyed. Amidst the misery of the raging storm, Paul fed the unbelieving crew in manner that is powerfully reminiscent of the Lord’s Supper and the feeding of the 5000. Like Jesus, Paul took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. This simple act of provision amidst disaster was a powerful testimony to God’s power. He is greater than any storm! He is the great provider and Jesus is the Bread of Life. This simple meal became a spiritually significant act in the midst of a physical disaster.
We can only speculate how many among that terrified crew were touched spiritually by that meal, but it probably quite a few. If any became believers, their experience of the Lord’s Supper would be forever more vivid for having experienced their first spiritual meal in the midst of terror. Whenever you gather at the Lord’s table for the Lord’s Supper, may it be a powerful testimony to the peace of Christ regardless of any storm that may be raging in your life. #FollowJesus