The Storm Before the Calm or "the key to humility"

In the summer of 1972, I was riding a far reaching wave of the Jesus Movement. It had reached me in my hometown of Holton, Kansas, and I was turned around; closer to right side up, away from the “upside down-ness” of the attractive things that had been throwing off my spiritual equilibrium.

Praise the Lord and thank You Jesus! Bad days were a thing of the past. I just didn’t have them any more. This was a new life - as promised.

We lived in the country, among farms and farmers - they are frequently found in close proximity. The neighbors to our north were leaving for a few days. They had a calf that was being bottle fed and they asked me to take on that responsibility while they were gone. They showed me where to find everything, how to do the feeding and gave me a key so I could get inside. Easy enough. To make it even easier, they showed me where a spare key was located - if I should happen to lose or misplace mine. Like that would EVER happen!

A few days into the assignment, with my string of “not bad days” continuing to grow (one day at a time sweet Jesus!) it did happen. I could not find my key. I looked long enough to realize this day (that the Lord hath made) was the day I’d just use the spare key and find mine later. No problem.

Intending to go directly to fetch the spare key, it was not where I thought they had told me I’d find it. No problem. This is what Scripture is for. Seek and ye shall find. I sought and found it not. Ask and it shall be given. I asked but it was not given. Then non scriptural "words of wisdom" began to join the conversation. If at first you don’t succeed . . . say it again, louder with more faith!!!

If you can’t raise your voice loud enough to get God’s attention, pray - with sarcasm! (like a spoiled brat) Needless to say, it, rather I, got very nasty and the string of “not bad days” had ended.

The calf was probably going to die because I couldn’t feed it, all because God wouldn't show me where the key was! I was so aggravated with Him for not responding to my prayers, my demands, my volume or my sarcasm, that I went back home, into my room and dove face first onto my bed. As my eyes focused on the space beneath the bed, where the wall meets the floor, what was staring up at me but the “lost” key.

It can actually be an easy maneuver to slide from the bed to the floor, out of a tantrum into an attitude of prayer and humility . . . if the Lord holds the key.

"The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us . . .”

Deuteronomy 29:29