Ready for the Breeze

“By tacking about men get the wind, 7tot by lying still; many times a supply of grace cometh ere we are “When A’e do not seem to have the favouring gale in our voyage towards heaven, let us not therefore cast anchor, and idly lie still, but let us use what wind we have, employing that measure of grace which is vouchsafed to us. Let us put up the sail to catch sidewinds, that we may be aided by indirect helps till we get where more propitious breezes blow.

If I cannot pray, let me read a chapter. It may be that while I hear God speak to me I shall learn how to speak to him. If in my private reading I feel no unction upon the word, let me go forth and attend the meeting of the saints; perhaps God intends to bless me by the ear, or in company with others. If this fails, let me go and visit the sick, or perform some deed of chari-ty. Perhaps in helping others I may find succour for my own soul: God has often saved a man from freezing by setting him to rub a brother into warmth and life. If all this shall not have succeeded let me hold converse with some choice servant of

God; and if this should fail me, let me get to my knees again, or begin to sing a psalm, or tell to others what I have experienced of God’s love in times past.

How often it will happen that or ever I am aware my soul will make me like the chariots of Ammi-nadib. “While I was musing,” said one, “the fire burned.” “The wind bloweth where it listeth,” and a heavenly gale often comes upon a sudden; but it seldom or never comes to idle souls, or to those who are indifferent about it, listless, inactive, dead, careless whether it comes or not. Come then, brother, tack about. Complain not of the want of heavenly wind, rather complain of want of consecrated energy. Lord, grant that what I preach to others I may always practise myself.