The only survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small uninhabited island. He cried out to God to save him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a rough hut and put his few possessions in it. But then one day, after hunting for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; he was stung with grief. Early the next day a ship drew near the island and rescued him. “How did you know I was here?” he asked the crew. We saw your smoke signal,” they replied. ”There are times in our lives when we feel that we are constantly dealing with difficulty and despair, times when we just don’t understand why things are happening the way they are. Times when we develop the “why me” syndrome and all we can do is sit around and mope, blaming God and others. Yet the fact is, we must realize that even in the most difficult circumstances, God is working. Even when we cannot see anything good that could come from it, God has it all under control, and is working through these circumstances to accomplish His work in us.
The prophet Elisha is a great example of such providential workings. On one occasion when he had kept the king of Israel safe from the Arameans, one of Israel’s enemies, the king of Aram sought to kill him. When the king found what city he was staying in, he sent his army to surround it. When Elisha and his servant awoke the next morning and looked out, his servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” and Elisha said to him “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. – 2 Kings 6:15-17.
God had not left Elisha. Elisha knew it, and the Lord opened the eyes his servant to see it as well. If you are a child of God, He has not left you either. It may be that the current situation is the “smoke signal” that God is using to accomplish something greater in your life. It may even be that the “smoke signal” is what God is allowing into your life to bring you to repentance and salvation in Him. Whatever the case may be, we can be assured that God is with those who love him and is working. It may be that that we just need to ask the Lord to open our eyes.
Would you like to know more? We would love to speak with you, call us at 425-432-0634, or contact us at www.taylorcreekchurch.org. We invite you to join us for Sunday service: 9:00 AM for Sunday School, and 10:15 AM for Worship. We are located at: 21110 244th Ave. S.E., Maple Valley.
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