IS YOUR HUT BURNING?

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood toprotect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But thenone day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hutin flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened;everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how couldyou do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that wasapproaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I washere?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," theyreplied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn'tlose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of painand suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground---- it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

-- Author Unknown