Never Alone
By Greg Laurie
"For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, 'Don't be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What's more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you. ' " —Acts 27:23-24
Time and time again, God reminded Paul of His presence, no doubt when he needed it the most. God knows what we need, and He knows when we need it.
He knew when Paul could use that extra assurance. When he was in that prison cell in Jerusalem, the Lord appeared to him and told him to be courageous (see Acts 23:11). Then from prison in Rome, he wrote to Timothy, "But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength . . ." (2 Timothy 4:16).
In some special way, God reassured Paul of His presence. Acts 27 tells us that the Lord sent an angel to reassure him.
You can take heart in the face of danger or uncertainty because of your awareness of God's presence with you. When your heart sinks, when it seems as though your life falling apart, you must remember the Lord is there with you.
You are not alone. No, there are not always easy answers. But we can be sure of this: He will be with us through the storm.
God was standing by Paul's side, and God is with us in our storms as well. He may not necessarily send an angel. We may not necessarily hear an audible voice. But if we pay attention, we can hear the still, small voice of God. And certainly, He will speak to us through His Word.
Then we, like Paul, can reassure others that the Lord is in control.
Used with Permission
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