Devotions

DEVOTION BY MARK FUGATE

 Nothing is Something

Hudson Taylor served as a missionary in china for fifty-one years in the mid 1800’s.  He founded the China Inland Mission. One of my favorite stories is when he made his first trip to China aboard a sailing vessel. Into their trip he hears a knock on his door.   He opened it and it was the captain – he said we have no wind and we are drifting toward an island where the people are known to be cannibals.  The great missionary said what would you have me do?  The captain said I know you are a man of God and I am asking you to pray for wind.  Check out what Hudson Taylor told him next.  “Alright Captain, I will, but first you must set the sail.”

The Captain said that’s crazy.  We don’t’ have the slightest breeze and the crew will think I’ve gone mad.  But Taylor insisted so the captain set the sail.  Forty minutes later the captain returned to find the missionary still on his knees – still praying.  Check out this incredible quote from the captain. “You can stop praying now, we’ve got more wind than we know what to do with.”   The Bible gives a good definition of the word Faith.

• Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen

I’ve had a thought overwhelm me recently.  Whenever you start out in faith you often start with NOTHING.  You know what our church started with before they got this property and built this building and now plan for the future? – NOTHING.  You know what the disciples packed when they followed Jesus to hear him preach with 5,000 other men and their families? – NOTHING.  There are people in our church who have loved ones that have been told by the doctor there is NOTHING we can do.  And I know what it feels like to be looking at something and hearing NOTHING.  To believe God for something and see NOTHING.    But the truth is something is happening even though NOTHING is seen.  And here’s the comforting thought.  “Nothing is impossible with God – because it’s never nothing if God is in it, because if God is in it nothing is impossible.” If I have you confused by now so let me say it this way – when God is there even nothing is something.