As I had said previously my girlfriend came out to visit me the other week. We had an amazing time. It really was the best week ever. It was so nice to be able to spend quality time together, as even when I'm back in the UK I am based 100’s of miles from where she lives. We had a great time seeing the sites and just enjoying being with each other. I suppose calling her my Girlfriend is wrong now, I should call her my fiancée because when she was out her I proposed and we are now getting married in exactly 365 days time!
But the week had to end, and I had to take her back to the airport and watch her leave for home. That was so hard and was just horrible because I knew it would be at least 3 months until I could see her again. It really was soul destroying, it was very hard for both of us; especially as it is the Muslim religious month of Ramadan, so I could not even give her a hug goodbye at the airport.
Needless to say I returned to the ship quite grumpy and feeling down; yes it had been an amazing week, but everything just felt so grey and empty. Alright I know I live on a ship that is painted grey! But im sure you know what I mean! Being on this ship at times is very much like being in prison. You are stuck sharing little rooms, you have little to no privacy and when you’re at sea there is just no escape.
I was really feeling like I was going to be doing a prison sentence for the next three months when I returned to the ship, and I was just so tempted to say “I have had enough of this” and jump on a plane home! Although I didn’t really fancy having the military police chasing me for the rest of my life for being AWOL!
I have been doing the New Testament challenge this year, I always try to follow a Bible reading plan as I need the structure to keep me disciplined. The day I got back to the ship I was so tempted to just not do it. It thought “I can’t be bothered today, ill just catch up tomorrow” But I am so glad I did. The days’ reading was from Acts Chapter 12. It finds Peter in prison for spreading the Gospel, here is the bit that I found helpful and interesting.
Acts 12:5-7 (New King James Version)Peter Freed from Prison5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off hishands.
I found this really helped me, and in such a grumpy mood feeling like I was stuck in prison it really picked me up. Not because it shows how Peter was released from prison. I'm not expecting God to send down an Angel who will suddenly get me off this ship! But because it shows the amazing power of intercessional prayer!
Verse 5 says constant prayer was offered by the church for Peter, and look what happened! The people petitioned God through prayer and he answered! How amazing and mind blowing is that! But what really strengthened me in this extract is the fact I know back home and in other places people are praying just for me. People are asking God to keep me safe, watch over me and ensure everything is alright! So just as God kept Peter safe I trust that he will keep me safe until I return home to.
As I thought deeper upon this passage I thought of another interpretation of it. How often do we see or hear of people that we know about who are stuck by some form of sin? Imprisoned in a spiritual cell of the devils making. But if we pray constantly for them we can have a massive impact upon them. As verse 7 says “And his chains fell off his hands.” That’s an amazing thought, by praying for someone we can help them shed the chains of sin that bound them!
Really the message of this post is the same as last weeks. Who could you be praying for? Find someone, pray for them constantly just like the young Church did for Peter; and you might be amazed what happens!
The Sailing Salvationist
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