Trouble Halfway

He, that is, my friend, overheard a man saying to one of his friends, “Don’t put up your umbrella till the rain begins.” Not that rain was threatening, but because the poor woman was thinking so much about trouble coming. He meant, “Don’t meet trouble halfway”; just wait on the Lord, and be doing good, and mercy shall compass you about. May God grant that we, one and all, may wait patiently the Lord’s will and know for certain that He will keep us safe. The same as it says in Isaiah 27:3,3I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. (Isaiah 27:3) “I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment; lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day”
Listening to what my friend said about not putting up an umbrella before the rain came, put me in mind of a beautiful instance of faith, splendid faith, that a dear, elderly gentleman with whom I was staying at Ashburton exercised in prayer. It was a very hot summer, dried up, and no rain, so at family prayer in the morning he asked God to send rain, and he believed, so put on his overcoat and sat in the garden with his umbrella ready for rain. It came that afternoon in answer to prayer.
Emily P. Leaxey.