| Devotional Hours with the Bible |
Chapter 18 |
Page 5 |
Paul’s common-sense action had commended him to the centurion in charge of the prisoner, for when the soldiers proposed to kill the prisoners, ‘the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose.” The soldiers forgot all that Paul had done for them during the storm and, to avoid further responsibility for themselves, proposed killing all the prisoners. After a battle, a wounded enemy within the lines piteously cried for water. An officer ran to him and gave him drink. Refreshed and revived by the water, the wounded man, seeing that his benefactor was of the opposite army, drew his pistol and shot him. Something like this was the spirit of those soldiers. The centurion, however, shows us the reverse spirit — gratitude. He remembered how much they all owed to one particular prisoner, and checked the evil purpose of his men, not only saving Paul himself, but for his sake all the prisoners.
The first chapter in the dramatic story is simply told. The advice was given by the centurion that “they who could swim should … get first to the land; and the rest, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. And so … they all escaped safe to the land.” We have here a beautiful parable. The voyage itself is as parable of the Christian’s life-voyage. The island represents heaven. Everything has to be given up to reach it. But it will be noticed that not one person was lost — all reached the land. However, all did not get to the shore in the same way. Some swam out, gaining the land easily, while others had to cling to pieces of board, or of furniture, thus barely escaping. So not all Christians reach heaven in the same way. Some enter triumphantly, victoriously, with song and shout; some are barely saved, gaining the shores of glory only on the shattered fragments of their earthly hopes. Happy will we be if we get into heaven at last in any way, through any difficulty or earthly loss. But it is possible for all to have the “abundant entrance,” and we should strive so to live that we may secure it.
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