Meditation

When something bad happens, most Christians blame Satan. Chances are, we are half right. Satan hates us, and wants us dead. God loves us, and keeps us alive. But it’s a struggle.

Somewhere between Satan’s Hell and God’s Heaven, is a place called Earth, where we spend our threescore years and ten, give or take a few. While here, we are the focus of intense spiritual warfare between the forces of Good and the forces of Evil.

One of God’s favorite stratagems in this ballet is Affliction. He will not afflict us, but He may permit Satan to do so, for one reason or other. Then, while our adversary is busy trying to tear us down, God uses these very circumstances to build us up.

I call it the East Wind of the Lord. An east wind is an ill wind most everywhere, but if it is the Lord’s wind, it blows for our good.

It may be a chastening, refining, or testing wind. And if we recognize it for what it is, and submit ourself to it, we have the assurance of Romans 8:28 that God’s east wind is clearing our way to the Promised Land.
Little flowers
never worry
When the wind begins
to blow.
And they never,
never cry
When the rain
begins to fall.
Though it’s wet a

nd oh, so cold
Soon the sun
will shine again.
Then they’ll smile
unto the world
For their beauty t
o behold.
When the clouds
begin to gather
And the storm
begins to grow,
Little flowers
don’t complain
Though they’re
tossing to and fro.
Oh, I guess
they’ve learned
the secret.
They don’t fret
because they know
If it never, never rained
They would never,
never grow.
So let it rain, let
it rain, let it pour.
Let ol’ trouble come
a-knockin’ at my door.
‘Cause if we learn
the right and wrong
It will help to make
us strong.
Lord, please help us
learn the secret
Only little flowers know:
If it never, never rained
Then we’d never,
never grow.

“Little Flowers,” by Danny Lee, John T. Brown Publishing Co.
– Emmit Glanz
Mountain Top Ministries
of Puget Sound