Paul, in 2nd Corinthians 11:22-31, shares with us an amazing list of experiences he had endured … in the work of our Lord. Events involving suffering (or pressure of some kind) … for Jesus’ Sake!

Today’s focus centers on a single fact, Paul having written: “a night and a day I have been in the deep.” 2nd Corinthians 11:24

This ordeal must have followed one of Paul’s 3 “shipwrecks,” meantioned one clause earlier in our Text. “Thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep.”

The expression “in the deep” (in Greek “en ho buthos”) means stranded in the depths of the sea. “Buthos” (deep) gives us our word “bath.”

“Have I been” translates the verb “poieo,” meaning “to bear” something.

But Paul so “grasping” something as he floated those hours (maybe a piece of the ship) was in God’s Eyes … “beautiful!” Gracefully “poetic,” a virtual piece of “art,” an act of praise and worship! (Because the Greek verb “poieo” literally supplies us with the words “poem” and “poet” and “poetic!”)

Later in his ministry, Paul again had an opportunity to suffer in this fashion. Yes, another shipwreck! “But the Centurion (Paul’s ‘guard’ on board) willing to save Paul … commanded that they which could SWIM should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: and the rest, some on BOARDS, and some on broken PIECES of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.” Acts 28:43-44

Wow!

Paul endured this … yet never missed a day serving His Lord!

No wonder he could write: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” (1st Corinthians 15:58) Paul indeed lived what he preached!

Not a word of grumbling, either! “Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” (Philippians 2:14)

In the water, the ocean.

Likely in the cold.

For a night and a day.

What love for Jesus.

What an example to follow.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

It’s a “night and a day” instead of a “day and a night” because of Paul’s Jewish “mindset.” When God created the world …”the EVENING and the morning” … were the fist day.” And the second day as well. The Jewish people still begin their days at “sunset!”