COURAGE IN LIFE'S STORMS

For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.  (Acts 27:23-25 NKJV)

 Said a boy to his mother, "What is fear like? I have never seen him."

Paul might have said as much, because his life was hid with Christ in God. He had learned to detect the voice of Christ. Some cannot do so, for it needs the practiced ear and the obedient will. But all through his Christian career the apostle seems to have derived comfort and strength from special revelations. Through the murky darkness of the storm, Christ's ministering angel sped to his hammock, and standing beside him, bade him be of good cheer. And there is no storm that beats on our life which does not bring God's angels also to our help, though we may not see their forms or hear their voice. The one condition of angel help is that we belong to their Master. We must be able to say: "Whose I am, and whom I serve."

The Prayer of Faith. In Acts 27:24 Paul is "granted" something. “Granted” signifies that Paul had asked and God had answered his prayer, and given him his request. What a promise this is! It is said of Miss Havergal that she went to stay with a family not quite sure of their devotion to Christ. On the first night of her stay she wrote her well-known hymn, "Take my life, and let it be, consecrated, Lord, to Thee." And during her short visit under with them, she won for her Lord the entire household. So we may claim that all who sail with us in the ship of our life shall become God's children.

The Courage of Faith is consistent with Commonsense. Even though Paul had God's assurance, he felt that he must do what he could, as though all depended on his commonsense. Faith ought not to make us act presumptuously or foolishly. Holy calm and stillness rule in the heart of him whose mind is stayed on God.

We are likely to encounter many storms in our life before we anchor in the holy port of eternity, but in the heart of every cyclone there is a point of rest; and in the fiercest storm that sweeps our world, we may hide in the secret place of the most high, and sing Psalm 46:1-11.

PRAYER

By day and by night, in life and in death, may I ever be true to You, Lover of my soul, my ceaseless friend, my unchangeable Savior. Into Thy hands I commit my spirit!   In Your name I pray, AMEN.

God's Daily Promise

Promise #168:
When you walk through the fires of adversity, you will not be burned.

Isaiah 43:2 (WEB)
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned,
and flame will not scorch you.