CALM, COOL, AND COLLECTED                                  Isaiah 30:15-18

For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” And you would not, (v15)

Author F. W. Boreham told about a farewell service for a minister who had pastored a church for 20 years. Several preachers attended and each eloquently extolled the pastor’s virtues. Boreham commented that he had forgotten everything said that day except for a statement made by a man who paid his pastor this compliment. “I have seen him nearly every day of my life for 20 years, and I’ve never seen him in a hurry!” After the service, the minister said he considered that tribute to be the most gratifying. He took it as an indication that over the years he had truly learned to wait patiently upon the Lord – he had discovered the secret of Isaiah 30:15 For many people, staying calm, cool, and collected under pressure is a matter of natural temperament or self-discipline. But Christians should derive inner strength from quietly waiting upon God. Martin Luther once claimed that he was so busy he couldn’t get anything done unless he spent at least 3 hours a day in prayer. Too often we reverse the order. We get flustered and upset or we do things hastily because we fail to take the time to be alone with the Lord.

Learn a lesson from that pastor. Wait on the Lord. You’ll be calm, cool, and collected in every situation. –Richard De Haan.

PRAYER LINE: We oft grow weary in life’s race;

We’re driven by its hurried pace;

But when we wait upon the Lord,

His strength becomes our Sure control. D. De Haan.

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We must never take on more work than we have time to pray about. (ODB)