Sleeping In The Storms

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him.

"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

I know this is supposed to be "Encouraging Words", but if you'll indulge me for a moment here's a fact: There will be storms that blow through your life from time to time. Perhaps it's the doctor's announcement of an illness, or the boss's invitation to visit his office late on a Friday. It could be the police officer who knocks on your door late at night and then can't look you in the eye as he explains the car wreck that took the life of your loved one.

Or......it might not be any of those things. It could be that you're having a difficult time at work or at home or with a friend, a relationship that appears to be falling apart in a hurry. Regardless of what it might be, are you ready? Well, "ready" is a strong term, so let me ask it this way: When the storms rage, can you sleep?

Let me give you a promise from God. It's found in Isaiah 43 and it says this: But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Do not be afraid, for I am with you."

A couple of things to note here: 1) This is written to "Israel", or in other words, God's people. If you've trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, then you're one of God's people and this applies to you. (If you haven't, you can....Read Romans 10:9 & 10.) 2) It tells us, "Do not be afraid because we belong to God." A great promise to have!! 3) It says, "WHEN" you go through...... It doesn't say, "IF", but "WHEN". In other words, storms are inevitable. And the best for last: 4) It says that we don't have to be afraid because God is with us. Wow! What a promise!!!

You may be in a storm right now. God is there. A storm may come up later this week. God will be there. When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.

We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the midst of the storms.