I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.

     Today’s passage is a continuation of the lists of genealogies. One thing that is interesting is that at one point in today’s passage it lists three sons of Benjamin and their descendants. Later, it lists five sons of Benjamin. It then goes on to list the genealogy of King Saul. I find this genealogy hard to follow and looking at the varying translations and their notes it appears that this is a result of ambiguities in the original Hebrew.

     In due time Paul and several other prisoners set sail for Rome accompanied by a force of soldiers, Luke and a few others. They changed ships at Myra after which they had slow sailing and were forced by contrary winds to take a longer route than planned. They had lost a lot of time and were entering a season when sailing was dangerous. However, the ship’s crew wanted to get to a better harbor before winter set in. Paul warned the officer in charge of his guards and the ship’s officers that if they continued they would face storms which would lead to shipwreck and a loss of the ship’s cargo.
     However, the officer in charge of the prisoners followed the advice of the ship’s owner and its pilot and they set sail for a more sheltered harbor. As soon as a breeze that promised good sailing weather came up they set sail, intending to stay close to land. The ship was barely out of the harbor when stronger winds came up that blew the ship away from land. The winds were so strong that the sailors had no choice but to let the wind drive the ship where it would. The storm continued into a second day and was so strong that the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw some of the ship’s gear overboard. The storm continued for multiple days until everyone on board gave up hope of making it to shore alive.
     I usually avoid going this way, but as I read this passage today, it made me wonder how often I face “storms” in this life because I listen to secular advice rather than the advice given to me by those who have a word from God for me?

     I choose to live as the psalmist declares. I will go to the Lord for protection. I will count on Him to rescue me from my enemies. God will end the evil of the wicked and defend the righteous. God will bring punishment against those who do not repent of their evil ways. Those who plot wicked and evil things against others will find that the wicked and evil they planned for others will rebound on themselves. I will praise God because He is just and will save those whose hearts are true and right.

     THis is a proverb which I will state from personal experience to be true. It was by the favor of God that I found my wife and living my life with her brings blessings from God to me everyday.