Take Heart

Press the play button to watch the video above or press 'more' to read the transcript of the daily devotion below. Please read Acts 27:21-32 (use your own Bible or use the link above to access the in-App Bible).

During the Covid pandemic a few years ago a few people in our parish family painted stones as symbols of their hope. One that stands out in my memory quoted the phrase “Let your faith be bigger than your fears”

In our passage today, we find Paul aboard a ship caught in a violent storm. The crew are terrified and hope seems lost. And yet, in the midst of all this chaos, Paul reassures his companions, saying ‘Take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you’; in other words, “let your faith be bigger than your fears”

Paul’s confidence stems partly from his trust in God’s promise, for an angel had assured him that whilst he would stand trial before Caesar, all aboard the ship would be spared; but also from his own experience of God’s protection in other stormy times in his ministry.

On Maundy Thursday, we remember Jesus’ final moments with His disciples before His crucifixion. Like Paul, Jesus faced a storm—one of betrayal, suffering, and death—yet, He remained steadfast, trusting in God’s plan and ministering to His disciples. He washed their feet, and gave them a new commandment: to love one another as He had loved them. Jesus then shared a meal with the disciples which many of us will share in this evening as the Church, in one of the most beautiful and moving liturgies of the whole year, celebrating the Eucharist of the Last Supper, as feet are washed, as we take time to pray with Jesus in Gethsemane, and as altars are stripped bare, reminding us that ‘they all forsook him and fled’ leaving Jesus to face the storm alone.

Paul’s words in today’s passage remind us of the power of faith in the face of fear. Just as Paul trusted God’s promise, we are called to take heart, to trust in the love and salvation offered through Jesus. Maundy Thursday challenges us to reflect on our own faith and to embody Christ’s love, even in the storms of life. As we remember Our Lord’s sacrifice, let us also be inspired by Paul’s courage and unwavering trust in God’s providence.

Let us pray: Lord, in the storms in our lives, may we take heart, may our faith be greater than our fears. Amen.