A Moment with Pastor Fred

Elisabeth Elliot’s book, Keep a Quiet Heart has been a source of blessing to me. She recounts a story of her youth when on vacation her father tried in vain to coax her little brother to come into the ocean with him. Dad promised the waves wouldn’t wash David away. But the boy wouldn’t budge – to him the ocean was terrifying.

On the last day of vacation David finally gave in. And he was not swept away as his father held him as promised. David had so much fun too – more than he could ever have imagined. When it was time to leave, he burst into tears, “Why didn’t you make me go in?” he cried. Poor Dave. Sure, his dad could have forced him to  into the water, but he could not have forced him to relax and enjoy it. I am sure you see the spiritual parallel.

Elisabeth writes, “Learning to pray is learning to trust the wisdom, the power and the love of our Heavenly Father, always so far beyond our dreams. He knows our need and knows ways to meet it that have never entered our heads. Things we feel sure we need for happiness may often lead to our ruin … If we [would only] believe what the Father tells us and surrender ourselves into His strong arms … The only escape from self-love is self-surrender … My father knew far better than his small, fearful, stubborn son what would give him joy. So does our Heavenly Father. Whenever I have resisted Him, I have cheated myself, as my little brother did. Whenever I have yielded, I have found joy.”