LACED WITH GRACE...sleeping thru the winds

Today, I have shared the following devotion with the readers of Laced With Grace. Everyday, you can find inspiring devotions written by spirit led ladies. I'm proud to be associated with such a great team. Be sure to check out our devo site... www.lacedwithgrace.com

***

There are two things that are guaranteed to happen during a storm in the night. Number one, my dogs and my husband will be up, sitting on the porch watching the storm approach. And secondly, I will be found in the bed, asleep, unaware.

Have you ever slept thru a nasty storm in the night?

So many times I have. I wake up the next morning and look out the window and see not branches from the trees, but limbs from the tree, slewn all over the yard. To my amazement, my husband will say to me, "Didn't you hear it storm last night?"

Duh...No, because I WAS asleep!

Time after time, as I serve with my husband in fulltime ministry, we have seen people come in our offices that have been caught asleep during a storm.

Fierce storms have come into thier lives such as grief and death, divorce, sickness, addictions, difficult relationships, financial distress and so many more. And over and over again we hear the same thing, "I didn't see it coming".

I am reminded today of the story I read about the farmhand that could sleep thru the storm...

"Years ago, a farmer was looking for a hired hand to work on his farm in the Atlantic. It was difficult for him to find anyone who would be willing to work along the Atlantic where storms raged, causing havouc on farms and crops.

After many applicants turned down his offer for employment, finally a short, thin, older man approached the farmer about the job. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep thru the winds", the little old man replied.

The farmer didn't quite understand what that meant but he hired him anyway. Soon after, a nasty storm swept over the Atlantic one night. The farmer jumped out of bed, grabbed his lantern and rushed to the farmhand's quarters and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming!"

The little man, who was agitated to be awoken at such a late hour, rolled over and said, "I told you, I sleep thru the winds."

His response infuriated the farmer, he wanted to just fire him but first he needed to get out and save his crops from the storm. To his amazement, he found that all of the haystacks had been covered, the cows were put up in the barn, the chickens were in the coop safely and all of the doors were barred closed. Everything was tied down and secure, nothing could blow away.

Finally, the farmer understood what the farmhand meant. So the farmer returned to his bed and slept thru the winds."

I wanted to share that story today with you because often I think you and I are like that farmer, but all the while, God intends for us to be more like the farmhand. He wants us to be prepared for the storms brewing and coming our way. God never wants us to be fearful or live life restlessly.

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety." - Psalm 4:8

 

I don't know what keeps you awake at night, but God wants you to rest in Him. When we learn to do that, it is then that we can sleep thru the winds. Trust God and sleep well, my friend!