A New Day

By: Pastor Johnie Akers     

1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing.”  When missionary pioneer Hudson Taylor went to China, he made the voyage on a sailing vessel. As it neared the channel between the southern Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, the missionary heard an urgent knock on his stateroom door. He opened it, and there stood the captain of the ship. “Mr. Taylor,” he said, “we have no wind. We are drifting toward an island where the people are heathen, and I fear they are cannibals.” “What can I do?” asked Taylor. “I understand that you believe in God. I want you to pray for wind.” “All right, Captain, I will, but you must set the sail.” “Why that’s ridiculous! There’s not even the slightest breeze. Besides, the sailors will think I’m crazy.” But finally, because of Taylor’s insistence, he agreed. Forty-five minutes later he returned and found the missionary still on his knees. “You can stop praying now,” said the captain. “We’ve got more wind than we know what to do with!”  Friends, prayer changes things.  Two wonderful truths I have learned throughout life:  Number one: prayer does indeed changes things—prayer changes circumstances that may be out of my control, but never out of God’s sovereign control.  Number two:  prayer changes me in relation to things out of my control.  Prayer opens the door in my life for God to work in either fashion—change things in relation to me, or change me, in relation to things.  In both cases never failing prayer, never fails.  In our Scripture lesson today, Paul the Apostle admonishes us to “pray without ceasing.”  That is, develop an ongoing prayerfulattitude about every aspect of life.  In doing so, we exhibit our dependency and faith in God.  Are you drifting toward uncertain islands today?  Set your sails and then turn to God in sincere and earnest prayer.  Soon, you’ll have more wind than you know what to do with as the Lord brings you into the safe harbor of your destiny and purpose with each new day.