“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” – Psalm 43:5

On February 9, 1709, the parsonage at Epworth, England was discovered to be on fire at midnight and in midwinter. The father of the Wesley’s was awakened out of sleep by a cry of “fire, fire,” from the street. He quickly directed his wife and two girls to arise and flee for their lives, she bursting open the door of the nursery, where the maid was sleeping with five children. She took up the youngest, and bade the others to follow her. The three eldest did so, but John, who was then six years old, was not awakened, and in the alarm and confusion was forgotten.

Meanwhile, John had been awakened by the light and noise, and finding it impossible to escape by the door, climbed upon a chest that stood near the window, and he was then seen from the door-yard. It was a critical moment. There was no time for procuring a ladder; but one man was hoisted on the shoulders of another, and thus he was rescued from the flames. A moment more and it would have been too late, for the roof fell in with a tremendous crash.

When the father saw that John was safe, with a heart overflowing with gratitude, he exclaimed: “Come, neighbors, let us kneel down; let us give thanks to God! He has given me all my eight children. Let the house go, I am rich enough.” The next day Samuel Wesley, as he was walking in his garden surveying the ruins of his house, found a part of a leaf of his Polyglot Bible, on which these were the only legible words: “Go sell all that thou hast, and take up thy cross and follow me.” (cf: Matthew 19:21)

Is your reaction to praise the Lord when troubles come? Today in prayer, give thanks and praise to Jesus Christ and thank Him when difficult times come your way.

“Faith bridges the gap between prayer and the answer, and what is more, it looks forward to praising God. It is starting to praise God even in trouble, not just when it is past, often finding that trouble itself is transformed, or perhaps we are transformed in it, and then coming back to say “thank you” to God for what he had done.” – Owen Bourgaize

God’s Word: ” Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” – Psalm 42:5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2004, Devotional E-Mail DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING pkennedy6@yahoo.com