Mother had put her two little children to bed that evening, but neither of them could sleep. My, what a noise! Sudden claps of thunder seemed to be shaking the whole world, and during the vivid flashes of lightning they could see the trees swaying and bending before the blast of the wind.
“You can both get into bed with me,” called out Mother, and the two jumped out of their bunks, scampered down the hall and were soon in bed with Mother.
Neither Joan nor Tim were afraid of the storm, for both were saved and knew the One whom the “winds and waves obey.” As they listened to the raging outside, they could hear the crash of trees falling now and then, for their house was right in the midst of a big woods.
“I hope those poplar trees near the porch don’t fall on our roof, Mother,” said Tim.
“Let’s tell the Lord about it,” said Mother, and together they prayed. Then before they went off to sleep, they repeated Psalms 4:88I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8): “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”
Tim was up early the next morning, and looking out the door he called: “Mother! Joan! Come and look out here!”
Outside they saw the twisted stumps of the three trees they had prayed about the night before. “Just look!” exclaimed Tim. “They did fall but right away from the house instead of toward it!” It was evident that though the wind was blowing directly toward the house, the trees had twisted right around and fallen in the other direction.
“We asked the Lord to care for us,” said Mother, “and this is just another time that the wind ‘obeyed His voice!’ What a God we have!”
But there is a greater and more terrible storm coming one day, perhaps soon! It is the storm of God’s wrath and judgment. Tim and Joan will need not fear that either, for they will be safe home with the Lord whom they have learned to love and trust. Will you, too?
ML-01/14/1979