This post is Day 24 in a series of studies about “Suddenly”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Suddenly – Day 24

As Paul helped in collecting wood, he inadvertently picked up a snake hidden among the branches, driven out by the warmth of the fire. This man of faith did not panic as many of us would do. He just shook it into the fire and continued what he was doing.

Acts 28:5-6

Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead. But after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

The Thought

Paul was on yet another missionary journey, although it wasn’t described as such, because he was actually a prisoner! He had appealed to Caesar after his court appearance before the governor Felix, and was being transferred to Rome by boat. It was not an easy journey! The winds were against us (Acts 27:4). The wind did not allow us to hold our course (Acts 27:7). A wind of hurricane force swept down from the island (Acts 27:14).

Paul spoke often of his faith to the others on the boat, and when the boat suffered serious damage in a violent storm all the sailors and passengers ended up on the island of Malta. The first thing they did was to light a fire to dry themselves, and their drenched clothing.

As Paul helped in collecting wood and putting it on the fire, he inadvertently picked up a snake hidden among the branches and driven out by the warmth of the fire. This man of faith did not panic as many of us would do. He just shook it into the fire and continued what he was doing.

Action

Consider today how you cope with unexpected unpleasant surprises. Would you be afraid if a snake grabbed your arm?

Read Acts 28 and see how God used Paul on the island of Malta, blessing many through what was originally a disaster.

Can you think of times in your life when things which looked like disasters have brought something unexpectedly good?

Think of the first mention of the snake in the Bible, and all the bad consequences for mankind because of that experience (Genesis 3).

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