When Your Ship Never Makes it to Spain

In this sermon, Stephen Davey explains from Romans 15:22–28 that even godly ambitions—like Paul’s desire to reach Spain—may be redirected by God’s sovereign purposes. Paul longed for Rome and Spain, yet arrived in Rome as a prisoner and never reached Spain, teaching that faithfulness matters more than fulfilled plans. Davey contrasts Paul’s surrendered pursuit of God’s will with Jonah’s attempt to flee it, showing that both were rerouted by divine design. Through the life of Dr. Charles McKoy, who found unexpected and fruitful ministry in India after forced retirement, Davey illustrates that God often rewrites our “magic marker” plans with His pencil and eraser. He concludes that the goal is not reaching our Spain, but sailing faithfully with Christ, trusting that His plans are always better than ours.

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