Way below the surface of the earth, where the miners were trapped, was an area much smaller in size than the above ground area of Hope. But size for these miners made no difference. For them, their tomb of hope was surrounded by a faith which could not escape them. The faith, some might say, was being held in check by the walls of their hewn, rock cell.
But the miners knew better. Their faith was being held in check by the strength of their souls, an inner faith that was present before the time of the collapse and way before the establishment of Camp Hope.
My partiality of the song, "Where There Is Faith" knows no ends. The song is more of an everyday staple for me than is eating breakfast! It may not provide much nutritional value for my life but the value of my life that the Spirit fills me with, each and every time I hear and listen to the words of the song - and feel the music being driven into my sixty-three year old frame, puts me into a zone of complete contentment; I've been overtaken by the "peace, like a child sleeping" and for a moment "hope, everlasting, in He, Who is able to bear all my burdens, to heal every hurt in my heart" forms a wall around me that nothing can ever penetrate.
And I’m certain there was some sort of a similarity with the faith which the miners had, both individually and collectively. One man's faith was strong but the faith of thirty three men could not and was not crushed, buried, destroyed, or over taken by the legions of devils, whom I sure would have liked to torn every timber in that cave, down, in order to pull a shroud of darkness and defeat over the roof of Camp Hope.
In the darkness of those first few moments and hours, alone and not knowing who was alive, or buried alive, or dead, the miners had to have been overtaken by a fear they had never and probably never will again, experience in their lives.
I wonder after how long of a time did the realization settle in that their only hope would be in Jesus, the same Savior, whom family and friends were turning and clinging to above ground. I wonder how long was it before everyone heard there was “a Voice calling, you’re not alone in this world.” How long was it, I wonder when that “peace, like a child sleeping, hope, everlasting in He, Who is able to bear every burden, to heal every hurt in (their) heart,” became that “wonderful, powerful, place…where there is faith.”
The miners below and their loved ones above probably know nothing "of a man across the sea" and could care less about "a lady dressed in black, in a motorcade of Cadillac’s." But one thing they do know and are sure and certain of, is their faith.
Their faith, in the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, remained a reality. They placed themselves into the hands of the Lord and knew that His will, would be done.
And it's the same for us, for all who believe that God is and forever will be, in control. He has been since before the beginning of time and He will be, for eternity. He is the Voice calling to us, telling us we are not alone in this world!
We need to remember this, the next time life seems to collapse around us and to remind others, of the same.
Again, if you want, listen...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE0Dh-cogcU
Crank it up and let er rip!
I’m going to!
