Gods Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

The following paragraph provides a deep insight into the con nection between cause and effect. “God will do great things for those who trust in Him. The reason why His professed people have no greater strength is that they trust so much to their own wisdom, and do not give the Lord an opportunity to reveal His power in their behalf. He will help His believing children in every emergency if they will place their entire confidence in Him and faithfully obey Him.” Patriarchs and Prophets , 493.2. The recurring human tragedy is that while there are sporad ic occasions when plans are followed and problems solved in God’s way, more frequently, the only reason for giving a conun drum to God is that we find ourselves at a total loss to think of any solution which will work. In our desperation, we turn to the Lord, who, in His great love and mercy, beautifully and ade quately solves the problem. But when further difficulties pres ent themselves, the tendency is to revert to human devising and delegate God to the role of Helper, as a last resort. Despite this, our heavenly Father never fails to untangle the mess once the problem has been committed to Him. But how much better it would be for us if God was made the first and only recourse. The experience of the disciples during that fierce storm on the lake is an excellent example of standard human practice. When the tempest burst upon them, even though Christ was physical ly there, they gave no thought to turning the matter into His care. Instead, they waited until their vessel was about to sink. “A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.” Mark 4:37. The disciples first exhausted every resource at their command until they were at the point of destruction. Only then, as a last desperate measure, did they turn to the Saviour. The moment the need was given to Him, He calmly and effectively set mat ters right. (See Mark 4:39.) God makes Himself available as the Problem Solver not only of great and desperate problems, but for everything. He is there fore not the last, but the first resort to whom the Christian should turn. God does not leave His children to solve the seem ingly easy situations while He takes care of the apparently more difficult ones.