当毒蛇袭击保罗时，当地的土人以为他会死。但保罗把它甩掉了，而且没有受到伤害。保罗既没有死，人们就认为他是神。不，虽然他代表了神，但他不是神。
保罗几乎是直接去了罗马，但神透过他所作的见证在路上的每一站都进行着。因为风暴和船坏了，他到了马耳他。神又继续以不同的方式看顾着他。神也看顾那些在马耳他岛上的人。
岛长敞开家人接待了这些船只毁坏的访客们。在此期间，神透过保罗医治了岛长患病的父亲。片刻的宽待变成了观看神医治大能的场景，还有许多人也得了医治。
乍一看，保罗在一座岛屿上遇难，在去罗马的路上耽搁了三个月。但很快我们就看见，是神将保罗和其他人带到那里，并带去了医治和耶稣的福音。
此外，我们看到神通过把保罗和其他人带到马耳他，看顾了他们。接着又看到神通过把保罗和其他人带到那里，看顾了马耳他人。在他们继续前往罗马时，又遇到了其他人，受到了欢迎和鼓舞。
愿我们成为一次又一次地看到，神常常看顾着我们和其他人。
亲爱的神，感谢你常常看顾我们。愿我们每天都看到这一点。阿们。
使徒行传 28:1-16
1我们既已得救，才知道那岛名叫马耳他。
2土人看待我们有非常的情分，因为当时下雨，天气又冷，就生火接待我们众人。
3那时，保罗拾起一捆柴，放在火上，有一条毒蛇因为热了出来，咬住他的手。
4土人看见那毒蛇悬在他手上，就彼此说：“这人必是个凶手，虽然从海里救上来，天理还不容他活着。”
5保罗竟把那毒蛇甩在火里，并没有受伤。
6土人想他必要肿起来，或是忽然仆倒死了。看了多时，见他无害，就转念说：“他是个神！”
7离那地方不远，有田产是岛长部百流的。他接纳我们，尽情款待三日。
8当时，部百流的父亲患热病和痢疾躺着。保罗进去为他祷告，按手在他身上，治好了他。
9从此，岛上其余的病人也来，得了医治。
10他们又多方地尊敬我们，到了开船的时候，也把我们所需用的送到船上。
11过了三个月，我们上了亚历山大的船往前行。这船以“宙斯双子”为记，是在那海岛过了冬的。
12到了叙拉古，我们停泊三日，
13又从那里绕行，来到利基翁。过了一天，起了南风，第二天就来到部丢利。
14在那里遇见弟兄们，请我们与他们同住了七天。这样，我们来到罗马。
15那里的弟兄们一听见我们的信息，就出来到亚比乌市和三馆地方迎接我们。保罗见了他们，就感谢神，放心壮胆。
16进了罗马城，保罗蒙准和一个看守他的兵另住在一处。
“When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.” — Acts 28:9
When a viper attacks Paul, the local islanders think he will die. But Paul shakes the snake off, and no harm comes to him. When Paul does not die, the people think he is a god. But no, Paul is not a god. He does represent God, however.
Paul is almost all the way to Rome, but the witness of God through him continues every step of the way. Paul is on Malta because of a storm and a shipwreck. And God continues to take care of him in different ways. God also takes care of the people of Malta.
The chief official of the island opens his home to welcome the shipwrecked visitors. During this time, God heals the official’s sick father through Paul. A moment of hospitality becomes the setting to see God’s healing power, and many others are healed also.
At first glance, we see Paul shipwrecked on an island, delayed for three months on his journey to Rome. But soon we can see that God has brought Paul and the others there to bring healing and the good news of Jesus.
In addition, we see God taking care of Paul and the others by bringing them to Malta. But then we also see that God takes care of Malta by bringing Paul and the others there. And as they travel on to Rome, they meet other people and are welcomed and encouraged.
May we be people who look again and again to see the God who is always at work taking care of us and others.
Dear God, thank you for always taking care of us. May we have eyes to see this every day. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
