The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small,

uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him,

and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed

forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of

driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his

few possessions.  However one day, after scavenging for food,

he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke

rolling up to the sky.  The worst had happened -everything was

lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you

do this to me?" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound

of a ship that was approaching the island.  It had come to rescue

him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his

rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It's easy to get discouraged sometimes when things appear to

be going badly.  But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at

work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it

just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God!

For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has

a positive answer for it.   Amen.