2 Corinthians 7:2-16

 

2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Surviving the Storm

             In the North African desert in 1942, the British had lost the first battle of Tobruk. Axis armies intended to seal off shipping from Egypt. The British needed to defend the Suez Canal, but they were short of armor. They needed tanks, and at first, the U.S. considered sending General Patton and his 2nd Armored Division to Egypt. Time was critical, however, so the U.S. decided to send more than 300 M4 Sherman tanks across the Atlantic to bolster Egypt’s defense. Speed was essential, and merchant ships convoyed across the ocean carrying the critical supplies.

David Milton was an 18-year-old merchant seaman aboard one of the transports. He described a desperate moment during a vicious storm, when several Sherman tanks, weighing 20 to 25 tons each, broke loose and began sliding back and forth in the ship’s hold. Few things are more terrifying than the proverbial “loose cannon” smashing unrestrained around a ship’s deck. The tanks slid to one side, then careened across the deck and crashed into the bulkhead, threatening to burst through the hull and let in the sea. Milton described crew members riding the tanks like cowboys, threading steel cables to secure the monsters. The danger of the storm outside was nothing compared to the turmoil battering the ship from within. Yet once the tanks were secured again, the ship rejoined the convoy and cleared the storm safely.

             “For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.” 2 Corinthians 7:5-7 NIV.

             It seemed that everywhere Paul went, his proclamation of the gospel brought great joy to some and great rage to others. When he wrote his second inspired letter to the church at Corinth, he was stressed from every side. He had left Ephesus while the city was still in turmoil from a riot stirred up against the gospel. He was traveling through hostile territory on his way to a troubled church. Yet he could face everything with joy because he was faithful to Jesus Christ.

            We are living in troubled times—just as people always have. There are pressures from the outside and anxieties from within as we try to live good, holy, and righteous lives in a complex world. If we have calm security in our faithfulness to Jesus Christ, we will be equipped to face the raging storms of life. Only secure trust in God and His faithful promises will hold us firm and allow us to pass through the storm safely. Storms will come, and they will break fearfully upon us in dark nights and frantic days. But we can always find peace within if we commit our lives to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and remain in the company of His people.

 

Other Resources:

Defilement of the Flesh and Spirit 2 Corinthians 7