Moderate south wind

“When a moderate south wind came up, thinking that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, closer to shore.” As if to confirm that the majority’s opinion was correct, a gentle south wind began to blow. Until then, the ship had struggled against northwesterly winds, but with a south wind, they could set sail. The people must have felt, “Heaven is on our side.” Seizing the moment, they raised the anchor and left the harbor. By sailing along the coast of Crete, they expected to reach Phoenix within a day.

Euraquilo

“But before very long a violent wind, called Euraquilo, rushed down from the land; and when the ship was caught in it and could not head up into the wind, we gave up and let ourselves be driven by the wind.” However, suddenly, a violent storm called “Euraquilo” (a northeasterly wind) came rushing down from the land. (a) The ship could not sail against the wind. (b) They had no choice but to let it be driven along. (c) The ship was cast away from the coast of Crete into the open sea. What happened was the complete opposite of what they had expected. “Running under the shelter of a small island called Cauda, we were able to get the ship’s boat under control only with difficulty. After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in undergirding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and let themselves be driven along in this way.” (1) The ship came under the shelter of a small island called Cauda. There, the wind calmed slightly, allowing them to take action. With great difficulty, they managed to haul in the small boat that had been tied behind the ship. This small boat served as a lifeboat. By this time, it was likely already filled with water. If left as it was, there was a risk that it could collide with the main ship. Later, this lifeboat might become necessary for landing. (2) To prevent the main ship from breaking apart, they wrapped ropes around the hull, securing the entire ship. This was an emergency measure to prevent water from flooding in. (3) Furthermore, they “let down the sea anchor” and allowed the ship to drift with the wind. The Greek word for “sea anchor” could be understood as any equipment and may refer to the sails. Fearing that they might run aground on the shoals, they took down the sails. The “shallows of Syrtis” refers to the shoals along the North African (Libyan) coast. The lesson here is that we must not assume something is God’s will just because a favorable wind blows (or because circumstances seem to open up). This is especially true when we have certain desire – in such cases, determining God’s will based solely on circumstances is dangerous. Those who take time for daily devotion and quiet reflection will grow in their ability to discern God’s voice.