The Straw and the Camel's Back
By Erwin Bourne
Testings, Trials and Tribulations have been our
portion for quite some time.
Paul wrote to Timothy, “Endure hardship with us like a
good soldier of Christ Jesus” (II Tim. 2:3 NIV). We
are supposed to be at our best under stress—but!!
There is the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s
back.
There have been extreme trials with fellow workers.
Criticisms have resulted which have reverberated from
Amazonas to N. America. Our bodies have felt the
backlash, or reaction. At the same time, new growth
in the mission has added heavy responsibilities. Then
finances have sagged considerably. And to top it all
off, we have run into consequential banking
difficulties. Our VISA debit cards have denied us any
further action! No more cash flow! I have run into
computer problems. And, to top it off, our Brazilian
Fila watchdog has jumped through an expensive picture
window.
Trials dark on every hand, and we cannot understand
All the ways that God would lead us to that blessed
Promised Land.
But He guides us with His eye and we’ll follow till we
die,
For we’ll understand it better by and by.
Every temptation has its tether, but where you have
given into temptation in the past, that place has
become your weak point. The livestock that have found
a weak place in the fence will try that place first.
However, you must prove your determination! When Vern
and I were just teen-agers, we spent a lot of time in
the saddle on Archer, our cuttin’ horse. I had a
habit of riding full tilt toward our house on the edge
of town. Howbeit, Archer had a bad habit. At the
corner of the house, he would turn sharply to the left
almost unseating me. I determined to break the horse
of this habit. I rode pell-mell toward the corner;
and just before he decided to cut left, I thrashed the
determined horse with my western hat, and leaned hard
into the saddle for a right turn. Do you get the
message? You must take the tempter by surprise.
It is the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s
back. But let’s go to the Bible. Look at I
Corinthians 10:13 NLT. ”And God is faithful. He will
keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you
can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he
will show you a way out so that you will not give into
it.” May God help you to prove yourself and the
Scripture.
Erwin Bourne
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