July 01, 2001

Your Hut Is Burning

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help.; but seemed that no one would ever come. Exhausted and depressed, the man managed to build a little hut out of dry wood and palm branches, to protect him from the element and to store his meager possessions and any food he could find.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find smoke rolling up to the sky and his little hut going up in flames. The worst had happened, and everything was lost.

He was stunned with grief,,and ,anger. "God, how could You do this to me!" he cried..,,And then he fell to the ground weeping, and fell into a troubled,sleep. Early the next morning, he was awakened by a light shaking of his shoulder. Looking up he saw a group of sailors gathered around him. "What are you doing here?" he asked in. stunned surprise. After they explained that they had come to rescue him, the man asked  "How did you know I was here?" "We saw your smoke signal", they replied.

It is, easy to get discouraged when things are going badly.  But we must not lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. So the next time your little hut is burning to the ground-it be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.