Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. (Acts 27:24 ESV)
The angel gives Paul strange comfort.
The angel might have been expected to say something about frying pans and fires.
A terrifying Northeast Wind had been savaging the ship on which Paul was traveling. I’ve been in one sort-of-storm at sea, and a few storms at lake. The wind, waves, and flying fish are frightening. One feels out of control. It’s often dark, disorienting, and dank.
Certainly, the angel’s promise pf preserved life was good news. No doubt Paul and his companions were able to trust that calm was coming, the storm would end, and they would live. But the angel does not blandly say, “all will be well.” Because Paul was on his way to Caesar.
In a way particularly relevant at sea, Paul was being told that God saw both the waves and the horizon. While we often have our eyes focused on the immediate crisis, God’s promises reach further than the urgent.
The angel did not even mention whether Paul would live through the Caesar experience. Paul knew that God’s plans were far-reaching. Paul could see that the gospel was on its way to the Roman Senate… through him.
At the risk of mixing metaphors, Paul wasn’t just shown the light at the end of THIS tunnel. He was shown that a bigger tunnel remained.
On a given day, at a given moment, I am able to focus on the details or on the big picture. Rarely am I able to see both at the same time. But God can. The tiny details and the entire tapestry are equally before Him.
And this is comforting.
Fear not, because of God’s vision.