SAILING BY THE HEAVENLIES

"He went out, not knowing whither he went." Heb. 11:8

"It is faith without sight.

When we can see, it is not faith, but reasoning.

In crossing the Atlantic we observed this very principle of faith. We saw no path upon the sea, nor sign of the shore. And yet day by day we were marking our path upon the chart as exactly as if there had followed us a great chalk line upon the sea. And when we came within twenty miles of land, we knew where we were as exactly as if we had seen it all three thousand miles ahead.

How had we measured and marked our course? Day by day our captain had taken his instruments and, looking up to the sky, had fixed his course by the sun. He was sailing by the heavenlies, not the earthly lights.

So faith looks up and sails on, by God's great Sun, not seeing one shore line or earthly lighthouse or path upon the way. Often its steps seem to lead into utter uncertainty and even darkness and disaster; but He opens the way and often makes such midnight hours the very gates of day. Let us go forth this day, not knowing but trusting.

Too many of us want to see our way through before starting out. If we could and did, from whence would come the development of our Christian graces? Faith, hope and love cannot be plucked from trees, like ripe apples. After the words "In the beginning" comes the word "God". The first step turns the key into God's powerhouse.....Waiting on God brings us to our journey's end quicker than our feet!"

-----From Streams in the Desert

VALLEY OF WEEPING

"Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee...who passing through the valley of weeping, makes it a well." Psalm 84: 5, 6

"When night---needful night---gathers over the garden of our souls, when the leaves close up, and the flowers no longer hold any sunlight within their folded petals, there shall never be wanting, even in the thickest darkness [for God sends] drops of heavenly dew---dew which falls only when the sun has gone."

I have been through the valley of weeping,

The valley of sorrow and pain;

But the God of all comfort was with me

At hand to uphold and sustain.

As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine,

Our souls need both sorrow and joy;

So He places us oft in the furnace,

The dross from the gold to destroy.

When he leads thro' some valley of trouble

His omnipotent hand we trace;

For the trials and sorrows He sends us

Are part of His lessons in grace.

Oft we shrink from the purging and pruning,

Forgetting the Husbandman knows

That the deeper the cutting and paring,

The richer the cluster that grows.

Well He knows that affliction is needed;

He has a wise purpose in view,

And in the dark valley He whispers,

'Hereafter Thou'lt know what I do.'

As we travel thro' life's shadow'd valley,

Fresh springs of His love ever rise;

And we learn that our sorrows and losses,

Are blessings just sent in disguise.

So we'll follow wherever He leadeth,

Let the path be dreary or bright;

For we've proved that our God can give comfort;

Our God can give songs in the night."

---Author unknown

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