Everyman’s Hut

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 85, 15 August 1941, Page 8

Everyman’s Hut

Perchance thou, too, has camped by such sweet waters, And quenched with joy thy weary soul’s thirst; To find, as time goes on, thy streamlet alters From what it was at first. Hearts that have cheered, or soothed, or blest, or strengthened; Loves that have lavished so un- - stintedly; Joys, treasured joys— passed, As time hath lengthened Into obscurity. If thus, oh soul, the brook thy heart hath cherished Doth fail thee nowno more thy thirst assuage— ' “ . If its once glad refreshing streams have perished, ; Let HIM thy heart engage. HE will not fail, nor mock, nor disappoint thee;

HIS consolations change not with the

years;

With oil of joy HE surely will anoint thee,

And wipe away thy tears.

, These verses refer to an incident in the life of the prophet Elijah. Because of the sin and idolatry of the children of Israel, Elijah prayed to God that there might be no rain on the land, that the resulting famine and hardship might cause the people to repent and turn back to God. God heard and answered the prayer and before, long there was poverty and want. Elijah suffered with the others, but God told him to go to the brook Cherith. and thither the prophet went, Thus he had water to drink, and night and morning ravens brought him bread and- meat. But no rain fell and soon the brook dried up. When that occurred God led the prophet to where further provision had been made for him, to keep him until after three and a half years’ drought, the people slew the prophets of Baal and

returned to God in heart. Then in answer to Elijah’s prayer from the hill-top a cloud appeared over the sea like a man’s hand and soon the sky was darkened and the welcome rain fell in torrents. on the thirsty land. Elijah’s sojourn by the brook strengthened his faith in God to provide for him and enabled him to carry on until the fruit of the earth was available for his sustenance. And in our life’s experiences, sometimes the brooks dry up. That on which we are leaning, the One in whom we are trusting, fails us. Human vessels are but weak, or as John Ploughman puts it: “The best of men are only men at the best.” But when we turn to the. Man-God we find One in whom our trust is not misplaced. “He will never leave us or forsake us,” neither will He fail us.' As man He knows our strength and our weaknesses, and as God He can help and keep us. “Like a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.” Though all else fails, He is One in whom our confidence can never be misplaced. ,