Our Story
Our lives having been thus preserved, we discovered that the island was called Melita - Acts 28:1
Melita is the largest of three islands in the middle of the dark blue Mediterranean sea. Melita is the original name and is mentioned in the Book of Acts during the famous shipwreck of Paul. The Roman Catholics called it Melita because of the islands many ports and coves. The entire island rests naturally upon a barren rock but has been rendered fertile by industry and toil. It is famous for its honey and fruits.
Melita means "sweet honey" or "haven". Haven is defined as; "a place of safety"; "protected from danger"; "a place of favorable opportunity"
Paul was given a great promise - to stand before Caesar. During his mission he was surrounded by criminals, on a vessel he shouldn't have been on & now seized by a violent storm. Trapped on a battered and beaten ship that was being destroyed by the brutal sea, Paul was facing what appeared to be a life altering decision... jump overboard & swim.
Upon the shores of Melita he is bitten by a venomous snake, and there, people began to ridicule & slander him behind his back for what seemed to be tragedy, disaster, and catastrophic failure.
We are all given a great promise in life, and like Paul, we are all born to shew forth the Glory of God to others. Often, we find ourselves surrounded by people we are not supposed to be around, who are talking behind our backs, traveling in vehicles we shouldn't be traveling in and everything is falling apart around us. If it can happen, it seems that it does happen. We find ourselves in the storms of life... trapped in what seems like a mixture between death & destiny - jump and swim.
The storms of life are not for tragedy but rather for strength. Instead of taking us off course, they are merely for redirection. To prepare us with longevity, endurance, perseverance, and the dependance upon God. Your attitude during the storm proves the strength of your foundation once the storm passes. Rain replenishes nutrients to dry places, the essentials to healthy life and proper growth. If it weren't for rain we wouldn't have flowers.
Paul had every right to be discouraged. He had every right to quit...he had lost everything in his life.... but he didn't stop. He stayed the course and on this course he found himself healing every person on the island of Melita. I wonder how many people could be healed and delivered if we all would just stay the course? If the storm wouldn't discourage us? If we could just believe there was a greater plan beginning to unfold and the gail force winds were only for a moment?
Paul stands the test and in the end he is given everything he needs to finish the mission that he is called to do - he is given a boat. The promise of God is indeed just that - a promise that is to be fulfilled in your life. Even though the journey has gotten a little longer, the winds a little stronger, and the waves a little higher, God is taking you to a place filled with honey. He is taking you to a place of safety, protected from danger with favorable opportunity. He is taking you to your very own Melita, a place that is filled with people needing deliverance and healing.
Stay the course even when it looks impossible.
These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Mark 16:17-18
Welcome to Melita...
