As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.
-Acts 28:3-6 (NLT)
Imagine this scenario: You give up everything and follow the call of God with your life. It has even reached the point that you are imprisoned for your obedience. While being transferred to your trial, your boat runs ashore and your are left shipwrecked on a tiny island. That’s where we catch up with Paul here in Acts 28.
But, believe it or not, it gets worse. Once arriving on the island of Malta, Paul is bitten on the hand by a snake. The natives assume he’s a murder and he’s getting what he deserves. However, the bite doesn’t hurt Paul, so the people then decide that he’s a god instead.
Think of what happened to Paul in less than a 24-hour window: Shipwrecked on an remote island. Bitten by a venomous snake. Accused of being a murderer and a god. And it all happens while being faithful to God! I would say that’s enough to constitute a “bad day.” Honestly, that’s enough to question if what you’re doing is sincerely the will of God. I’m sure that thought crossed Paul’s mind.
A lot of people are at that exact moment in their life right now. Everything is falling apart. Things that are out of your control are controlling you. All your plans are unsuccessful. There are questions, doubts and fears. You feel like a living example of Murphy’s Law… Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. But Paul’s story didn’t end there, and thankfully neither does ours today.
Because of his new-found “god” status, Paul is taken to meet the chief official of the island. Paul is able to pray and heal the man’s sick father, along with others on the island. And as a way of saying “thank you,” the islanders give them enough supplies to complete their trip to Rome. Amazing!
If Paul’s boat doesn’t sink, he doesn’t end up off-course in Malta and he doesn’t get bitten by a snake. If Paul doesn’t get bitten by a snake, the people don’t mistake him for a god and he doesn’t get to meet the chief official. And if Paul doesn’t meet the chief official, the sick aren’t healed, supplies aren’t received, Paul doesn’t reach Rome, and God isn’t glorified.
When everything you thought was right is blowing up in your face… Hang in there. Sometimes failed plans are the best plans. God can use any circumstance to accomplish his purposes.
Even shipwrecks and snakebites.
