阅读经文 

在2019新冠状病毒开始时，人们不肯定海员能否回家。漫长的延误、延续的合约和隔离的要求，成为沉重的压力，单是不知此事何时了结，就足以令人陷入极大苦恼中。面对风暴已经是困难的了，但当人要面对一场似乎不会结束的风暴时，他们很有可能会失去一切指望。

使徒行传二十七章叙述身为囚犯的保罗坐船前往罗马的故事。在海上航行，期间遇到只持续几天的恶劣天气，本是意料中事，但这一次，船被困在长达几个星期的狂风骇浪中。因为看不到太阳星辰，水手们连船的位置也没法测度到。船员和乘客一定感到崩溃挫败和筋疲力竭了。经文说他们多日没有吃什么；很多人都感到绝望和准备面对死亡了。

然而，神却差遣天使并藉着保罗带给众人一个信息：“……与你同船的人，神都赐给你了。”（徒 27:24）过了不久，船便搁了浅，但他们全员都平安上了岸，风暴也停止了。从人的角度来看，他们已完全绝望了，然而神却是全程都在掌管整个事件。

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many questions about seafarers’ being able to get home. Long delays, extended contracts, and quarantine requirements weighed heavily, and the sheer uncertainty of when it all might be over caused mental anguish. Facing a storm can be hard enough, but when people face the possibility that the storm might not pass, they can run the risk of losing all hope.

The story in Acts 27 describes the apostle Paul traveling to Rome as a prisoner on a ship. Bad weather at sea could be expected for a few days at a time, but in this case the ship was caught in a storm that had been raging for a couple of weeks. Without seeing the sun or stars, the sailors could not even guess the position of their vessel. The crew and passengers must have felt battered and beaten. The text says they had stopped eating; many gave up hope and were ready to die.

But God sent an angel to give everyone a message through Paul: “…God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.” They were soon shipwrecked, but all were able to get to shore safely. The storm ended. God was directing the situation, even when they had lost human hope.