Real Faith

Summers here in Tennessee can be very hot. This spring I decided to buy myself to a nice screenhouse. Now that the setup fiasco is behind me, I find myself spending most of my day in my 'Thinking Tent'. Sometimes I enjoy it so much that I don't want to come inside. My record so far is 2 A.M. I am certain that soon I'll be witnessing the rising sun from my tent.

Peanut and Roscoe, the two most wonderful dogs in the world (in case you haven't heard), love the tent too. I think that they know that this is our special place.

Most of our weather works well with the screenhouse. On sunny days the green roof heats up and makes it very cozy. There is an almost constant crosswind that is so refreshing. The spring rain showers are just wonderful to watch from the safety of our tent.

Yesterday, Peanut, Roscoe, and I experienced something that my tent was not intended for. I was sitting at my table working on my laptop computer when all of a sudden the screen went blank. Puzzled, I checked my wires to see if I could find out why it had shut off. For some reason, there was no electricity. I looked across the street and said, 'Hmmph, they've lost power too. I wonder why?' Just then a loud rumble of thunder answered my question. Slowly I turned my head, and dropped my jaw. Sliding down the mountain and headed straight towards me was a dark gray thundercloud. Forks of lighting connected the ground to the sky. I could see sheets of rain on the mountain. I looked at Peanut and Roscoe and said, 'This is going to be a bad storm!?

It seemed like they smiled back at me. I covered them with our blanket and quickly stowed things away that needed to stay dry. Just as I finished, the rain started. It looked like we would have to ride this one out in the tent.

Much to the puppies delight, I joined them underneath the blanket. They spent a few moments arranging themselves and ended up each placing their lovely heads on my shoulders. I pulled the blanket over their heads and turned my attention back to the storm.

The wind started to pick up. The poles of the tent shook back and forth. I feared that with this much pounding, the poles might fly apart and collapse the tent on my buddies and I.

My head turned back and forth to catch the flashes of lightening. An explosion of thunder quickly followed each flash of light. It seemed that the storm was quickly getting closer and closer. My heart raced as the lightning strikes sounded all around us.

The rain beat hard on the roof of the tent. Soon the wild wind drove the rain inside. My face was getting wet. The storm showed no sign of passing on.

My thoughts turned to my puppies. How afraid they must be. The noise alone must have made them scared for their lives. Between the hard pounding of the rain, the harsh gusting of the wind, and the explosive sounds of the thunder, they must have been close to panic. I felt so badly for Peanut and Roscoe as I imagined their eyes wide with fear, crying into my shoulder.

I reached my hand down and felt Peanut's heartbeat. Instead of a quick scared pounding, her heart was calm. So was Roscoe's. How could they be so calm in the middle of this terrible storm?

I gently lifted the blanket and looked at my puppies. What I saw surprised me. Their little eyes were closed. Roscoe took a deep breath, and let it out with a loud snore.

I couldn't believe it! Even as the flashes of frightening lightening lit up their faces, they were both sound asleep. I wondered how they could be sleeping!

Then it hit me. Peanut and Roscoe had total faith in me. They knew, and trusted that no matter what happened, I'd make sure that they were safe and unhurt.

Now, it is true that I'd do anything in my power to protect keep them safe, secure and dry. The problem is no one ever told them that I had no power over this storm. I too was at the mercy of the wind and rain.

Once again my precious puppies taught me something special. As I lay under the blanket, I thought of Peanut and Roscoe's total faith and trust. They were demonstrating for me what my faith in God should look like!

So often I just trust God a little bit. When it comes to my life, my sin, and my problems, God wants to take complete charge. He doesn't want me scurrying around trying to help. All he wants is for me to trust Him in the same way that Peanut and Roscoe trusted me.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.?

Can I tell you that the only way you or I will ever find rest is to surrender to God? We need to stop our efforts at 'managing? our lives and trust God completely. We must let God take us wherever He wants.

Truthfully, my dog's faith and trust was misplaced. I do not deserve it. Since I can't explain this to them, I do my best to keep the trust they give me.

It is different with God. He does deserve our total trust. He does have power over the whole earth. God knows everything. He is in control of everything. On top of that, God loves us very much. That makes it perfectly safe to trust God with everything in our lives.

We need to get practical with this. God has given us His word. Trusting God means following that Word. We must read it, and then obey it. It is that exercise of faith that seems to activate God's power in our lives.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells the people to obey everything He and God have told them.

Matthew 7:24-27:

(24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

(25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

(26) And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

(27) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Trusting and obeying God is the first step towards obtaining that special peace mentioned in Philippians 4:7 'And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.?

When the storms of life come, and be assured that they will, cling to the promises and commands found in God's word. When you do, you can be like Peanut and Roscoe, and know that by the end of it all will be well.