The God Who Gives Composure

by John Gipson

Here I was. Stuck in the customer’s lounge of an automobile dealership waiting for an electrical problem to be fixed on my eleven-year-old car. The only reading material available just happened to be brochures on their new automobiles. I glanced over this information and then stepped out into the showroom to see what these cars looked like. As soon as I saw the sticker prices, I returned to the lounge. The television was on, so I decided to watch.

The story concerned a boy who had gone swimming in a river in Florida and had ended up lost in a swamp used by the military to teach survival training. The search had begun, and, because it was on their property, even the military had been called out to assist.

After about three days, hope for finding the boy had almost died. The swamp was filled with crocodiles and assorted poisonous snakes, not to mention the bears. The authorities had decided the situation was hopeless. He would never be found.

But then on the fourth day they found him alive and well. They stood in amazement! The boy had accomplished something most men armed with weapons could not do. He had survived! Survived. In spite of the dangers! Survived. Despite the dark terrors of three nights! Survived. Even though he was autistic!

The authorities concluded that being autistic had saved him. He had no fear of the night. No fear of the snakes. No fear of the man-eating crocodiles. That which would have panicked anyone else did not affect him in the least. His mother said he would have looked at a crocodile and said, “There is a crocodile.” He would have had no fear because he had never before been chewed on by a crocodile. In short, he had perfect composure throughout the whole ordeal. And that saved him.

My thoughts shifted to Jesus. Isn’t it amazing how composed Jesus was in all circumstances? He was told that Herod Antipas was trying to kill him, but the information never ruffled his calm.

“Go and tell that fox,” he said, “behold, I cast out devils today and tomorrow and the third day I am perfected.”

Perfect composure! He was living his life under the will of God.

And then I thought of the beautiful words of Isaiah: “And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.”