The Shipwreck that Wasn't a Shipwreck

In Acts 28:1-10 (read preceding chapter)God's purpose is noticeably served through trials and suffering. Sailors, soldiers and prisoners were on a wild two-week ride battling a storm of hurricane magnitude. It was a physical, emotional and yes, even a spiritual battle. Every anxiety associated with being enclosed or on the open waters came to be. And then as the reality of being shipwrecked began to set in, orders came to start throwing things overboard starting with least importance. They were totally committed when the last of the food was tossed over board.---Fast-forward to the ship wreck and landing on shore (well swimming or riding a plankboard).Once they arrived safely on shore (no one hurt, no loss of life, no loss of prisoners, everyone accounted for---All God Thing)they found the island had a name and the people were hospitable. It just reminds me of those places that seem out of the way, just a dot on a map, and God knows they are there and the people have a name. The islanders prepare a fire to warm the island crashers up. In the middle of serving (helping with the fire) Paul is bitten by a venomous snake. It literally latches on to him. Immediately, the islanders believe that Paul must have been a murderer because why else would someone survive a shipwreck only to be attacked by a poisonous snake(bad theology-karma). But Paul was not hurt at all. So, then they think he is a god, so Paul and company get the real hospitality and are led to the home of the chief official of the island. The man's father was severely sick, and Paul heals him. Party is on, healing party that is! They bring all the sick on the island to Paul and he heals them. You know Paul preached some Jesus! So God used this shipwreck to get Paul to these "forgotten" people. He used the snake bite to get Paul the platform to speak and teach. I don't know who was running this boating excursion, but in a matter of a couple of weeks I can tell you that Paul was now the head man. How could that have happened so quickly? A great spiritual awakening took place on the island of Malta...not a ship wreck. They were there three months. Next time you get derailed...off course...shipwrecked...ask "What is God up to?" The purpose in all this: so the people of Malta (a forgotten, unknown people group) would come to know Christ. The God of the universe cared enough to send some wind at the right place, at the right time, with the right man, with the right attitude on the ship.