Faith Grow Admid Storms–Streams in the Desert

Classics: Streams in the Desert–July 12, 2010

“He hath acquainted himself with my beaten path. When he hath searched me out, I shall come out shining”(Job 23:10, free translation).

“Faith grows amid storms”–just four words, but oh, how full of import to the soul who has been in the storms!

Faith is that God-given faculty which, when exercised, brings the unseen into plain view, and by which the impossible things are made possible. It deals with supernaturals.

But it “grows amid storms“; that is, where there are disturbances in the spiritual atmosphere. Storms are caused by the conflicts of elements; and the storms of the spiritual world are conflicts with hostile elements.

In such an atmosphere faith finds its most productive soil; in such an element it comes more quickly to full fruition.

The staunchest tree is not found in the shelter of the forest, but out in the open where the winds from every quarter beat upon it, and bend and twist it until it becomes a giant in stature this is the tree which the mechanic wants his tools made of, and the wagon-maker seeks.

So in the spiritual world, when you see a giant, remember the road you must travel to come up to his side is not along the sunny lane where wild flowers ever bloom; but a steep, rocky, narrow pathway where the blasts of hell will almost blow you off your feet; where the sharp rocks cut the flesh, where the projecting thorns scratch the brow, and the venomous beasts hiss on every side.

It is a pathway of sorrow and joy, of suffering and healing balm, of tears and smiles, of trials and victories, of conflicts and triumphs, of hardships and perils and buffetings, of persecutions and misunderstandings, of troubles and distress; through all of which we are made more than conquerors through Him who loves us.

“Amid storms.“ Right in the midst where it is fiercest. You may shrink back from the ordeal of a fierce storm of trial?but go in! God is there to meet you in the center of all your trials, and to whisper His secrets which will make you come forth with a shining face and an indomitable faith that all the demons of hell shall never afterwards cause to waver. –E. A. Kilbourne

Because of Him, I can sleep

When I googled the words “storms, sleep”  the link to a website for widows and widowers was in the long list of search results.  On their home page  they have this particular statement

“CD to promote Sound Sleep and Relaxation:

These CD’s have been especially created to bring you a beautifully calming experience, and incorporate natures sounds to transport you to far away places, as you slowly drift off to a deep trouble-free sleep.”

I would say that this marketer is quite ingenious.  Who would have thought, something to help sleep through a storm.  Which brought to my mind someone who had actually slept through a terrible storm once….

There is this well-known storm which happened many years ago:

The boat was only a small fishing vessel. But the storm was fierce, and the waves were huge, and they threatened to spill over the sides of the boat and over turn it.

The crew were skilled and experienced seamen  and yet the storm had scared them witless.  For it was no ordinary storm they had ever experienced.

They panicked as they tried unsuccessfully to gain control of their boat.  All of them working hard except one, their captain, their leader…  He was sleeping peacefully in a corner of the boat !

“How can He be so calm, and does He  not care that we are going to drown?”

They did what any sea worthy sailors would do….get their captain!

He woke up in annoyance, looked around the waves and loudly He said, “Be still!”

Then He turned around and looked at His men,” Why are you so frightened? After all we have been through, don’t you have confidence in Me? Don’t you know me by now? ”

He slept because He can, because He is bigger than any storms anyone will ever face.

He slept  because  sleep is considered a blessing for those who has complete trust in God:

“I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.”–Psalm 4:8

because He slept, therefore I can.

P.S  I do not need any CD to help me either.

He Sleeps in a Storm

“A man seeks employment on a farm.  He hands his letter of recommendation to his new employer.  It reads simply, ‘He sleeps in a storm.’

“The owner is desperate for help, so he hires the man.

“Several weeks pass, and suddenly, in the middle of the night, a powerful storm rips through the valley.

“Awakened by the swirling rain and howling wind, the owner leaps out of bed.  he calls for his new hired hand, but the man is sleeping soundly.

“So he dashes off to the barn.  He sees, to his amazement, that the animals are secure with plenty of feed.

” He runs out to the field.   He sees the bales of wheat have been bound and are wrapped in tarpaulins.

“He races to the silo.  The doors are latched, and the grain is dry.

“And then he understands. ‘He sleeps in a storm.’

” My friends, if we tend to the things that are important in life, if we are right with those we love and behave in line with our faith, our lives will not be cursed with the aching throb of unfulfilled business.  Our words will always be sincere, our embraces will be tight.   We will never wallow in the agony of ‘I could have, I should have.’ We can sleep in a storm.

:And when it’s time, our good-byes will be complete.”

From a Sermon by the Reb, 1975

p.93 “Have a Little Faith” by Mitch Albom