Setting the Sails

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 6
 
When the famous missionary, Hudson Taylor, first went to China, it was in a sailing vessel. Near the Cannibal Islands the ship was becalmed and was slowly drifting shoreward. Savages were eagerly anticipating a feast. The captain sought out Mr. Taylor and begged him to pray for the help of God.
"I will," said Mr. Taylor, "provided you will set the sails to catch the breeze."
The captain hesitated, for he did not want to make himself a laughing-stock by unfurling in a dead calm. However, Mr. Taylor would not pray until the sails were up. It was done, and the missionary knelt and prayed earnestly for divine intervention.
A little later, while Mr. Taylor was still engaged in prayer, there was a knock at his stateroom door. It was the captain. Greatly excited, he told him to stop praying. "There's more wind than we can manage," he said.
It turned out that they had drifted to within a hundred yards from shore when a strong wind suddenly struck the sails. It was God's answer to His child's faith. Mr. Taylor could not have taken such a course had he not been abiding in Christ and ready to obey the leading of the Spirit. "Faith sees the heavenly legions, where doubt sees naught but foes."
"The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth." Psalm 145:18.
"Oh, 'twas love, 'twas wondrous love,
The love of God to me;
It brought my Savior from above,
To die on Calvary."