Farmer John Brown was feeling good about his farm. He and his full-time farmhand, Jim, were proud of what they had accomplished. The needed rains had come at the perfect times and their crops were bountiful.
They were ready to start harvesting, a farmer's busiest and most enjoyable time of the year. His wonderful feelings were short lived however because Jim became very ill and had to quit working immediately to receive medical treatment. This would mean that he would have to go into the surrounding area and find someone who could help with the harvesting.
Much to his dismay, all available workers were already at work on other farms. He searched high and low but there was just nobody available. Very dejected, he was driving his old pickup back to his farm when he saw a hitchhiker walking along the road.
He stopped to give the man a ride and as they rode, they talked. The man looked to be 45 to 50 years old and in good physical condition. Their conversation had revealed that the man was headed nowhere in particular and that he was looking for work. Farmer Brown's spirit was lifted quickly, but he knew that his needs called for a farm hand who was experienced. When he asked the man about his background and farm experience, the only thing the man could tell him was that he could sleep in a storm. The farmer was appalled at such a statement. In his thinking, any lazy person could sleep in a storm. He was going to let this man off when he came to his farm, but his need was so great that he decided to give the man a chance, thinking that he could give him constant instructions, although it would decrease his own work efficiency.
As fate would have it, a strong storm with heavy rain and lightning came the very first night the new hire was there. Farmer Brown jumped out of bed, put on his slicker and rushed out to do all of the things that had to be done in a storm. He passed by ole Jim's little house where the hired hand was now living and sure enough, he was sleeping like a log. Rather than wake him, he decided to get the cattle into the barn and do all the other things that had to be done in a storm.
To his surprise, he discovered that the new hire had taken care of everything that ole Jim had done and there was nothing for him to do. He suddenly realized what his new hand had meant when he said he could sleep in a storm.
You realize that this is an old story that practically everyone has heard but I think there is an up to the minute message for everyone in the story.
Storms of life come into our lives frequently. They come in many different fashions. It can be a natural storm with torrential rain, lightning, devastating winds, a heart wrenching message from your doctor, a spouse who surprisingly says that he/she wants a divorce, a child that has become addicted to drugs, a terrible accident and many other scenarios that people are faced with every day.
None of us would be able to sleep comfortably when these things come upon us, but there is a place of refuge for Christians who have accepted the wonderful, free gift of God and established a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Christ, who can do all things, has promised in Hebrews 13:5 to never leave nor forsake His children. Does this mean that all of our prayers will be answered just the way we want them to be? No, but we must remember that God's wisdom is infinite and He knows what is best for His children, as the bible points out in Romans 8:28. We are also told in Philippians 4:7 that God's children have a "peace that passes all understanding."
So, if you have not asked Jesus to save you, do it today and God will enable you to face the storms of life from a different, comforting perspective.
Monk is a writer who lives in Dunbar.