“…[A]nd after the fire a still small voice.”  (1 Kings 19)

“Be still, and know that I am God…”  (Psalm 46)

 

Reader,
One of the saddest and hardest thing to understand is the fretting and worried Christ-ian.  Many a Christ-ian sings, “When peace like a river attendeth my soul” but many a Christ-ian bear false witness in their melodious declaration.  Many a Christ-ian sings, “What peace we often forfeit and what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer” yet many a Christ-ian forfeits peace and needlessly bears pain precisely because they do not carry everything to God in prayer.

Reader,  There is a peace that passeth understanding because there is a small and stilling Voice of God when one will simply be still and [then] know that {He is] God. Two (2) words that should still and steady the trouble heart of the Christ-ian is, “God Knows.”  Simply knowing, understanding, reckoning and appropriating the truth that “God Knows” could, should, and would remind the Christ-ian that, “It is well with [their] soul.”

When the Christ-ian frets the Christ-ian denies God the opportunity to comfort and confirm the Christ-ian.  The worried and care-filled Christ-ian should be and could be an oxymoron. Faith and fret are mutually exclusive to one another or should be.
In the short story, “The Dying Detective” Sherlock Holmes appears to be at deaths door due to an illness, and he rejects and rebuffs the help of Doctor Watson saying he wasn’t a good enough physician to aid him.  This of course hurt Doctor Watson, this is similar to the Christ-ian choosing to worry and fret, they are, in truth, rejecting and rebuffing God’s promise to care for them.  It is written in Scripture of those that would not be comforted by God and this is a sad state to bein to be sure.

Reader, there exists a state wherein one may enter and remain and experience peace that passeth understanding. There exists such a state and sense of peace that one may enter into and remain if only they will trust God,  if they will be still and know that “God is,”  “God Knows,”  and trust that God honours faith. Faith is meant for the dark and distressing times in the Christ-ian’s life. It is easy to be faithful in our faith when all is well. It is honouring to God when the Christ-ian is faithful in faith when all is stormy and the waves are striking against the ship.  When the Christ-ian looks upon the waves and the down pouring of life, he will always sink into the waters.  One should expect a great fish to arrive when one is taken down by the reaching and grabbing of the waves.

In the short story, “Red Shadows,” written by Robert E. Howard he writes of Solomon Kane, a puritan that hunts and fights evil.  In the story [this is a spoiler], after Kane is battle wearied and bloody he is stalked by agiant black man in Afric that is called Gulka the Gorilla-killer.  Kane is in know shape to fight of this giant.  kane has already been embroiled in a great battle and he is without his rapier and pistol.  The giant Gulka comes charging at Kane and sense thinks this could be his end, when the giant hulking Gulka stops dead in his tracks, for a greater and far more hulking entity has enetered his gaze. Gulka is called the gorilla-Killer because he had killed a gorilla, and now the gorilla’s mate has appeared upon the seen, seemingly out of know where and with ease pounces and breaks to death Gulka.  Solomon Kanes stands their, invisible to the gorilla. Kane survives his ordeal and is soon on a ship headed for Kane’s next adventure.
It is not stated, but it is apparenr and obvious that the meaning of the great ape’s sudden appearance is due to a divine calling to defend Kane; the call hearkens back to God calling the animals to the Ark of Noah.  It also is a reminder of the aforementioned Great fish that saved Jonah.

This writer is reminded of David’s words, “It is good that God hath afflicted me.”  We are also reminded of Job’s witness, “Though [H]e slays me, yet will I trust [H]im.” We are reminded of the angels that brought Lot out of Sodom before the fire fell upon the city. Example after example could be noted and remarked upon from Scripture that testifies of God’s faithfulness to His peculiar people.

Whether it is the waves beating upon the ship or the Pharisee ganging up and cornering the disciples, or the demoniac of Gadera running toward the disciples, Christ is always the very Present Help in the time of need. When it appears to be a strange spirit that is approaching the Christ-ian while the waters are raging, it turns out to be the Master coming to one’s aid and saying, “Fear not, it is I.”  It is God in the storms of life.

Reader,
Trust in Him, Whom you have believed and you will know it is, “well with [your] soul.”

 

Godspeed.