The captain of a vessel was telling me of a little boy, who served in his ship many years ago. The captain is an earnest Christian now, but in the days when he knew this little fellow, he was not a follower of the Lord Jesus, but a stern and hardened man of the world. His first ship was a small frigate, with a crew of about a dozen men, and among them was this little Tommy, who did odd jobs and made himself generally useful. Poor Tommy had a bitter life of it among this reckless, godless set of men. His mother had taught him to love the Lord Jesus, and a few weeks later before he joined the ship, he accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, and now he wanted to serve Him faithfully.
Of course when the men discovered this fact, Tommy became a capital butt for all their jokes, but still he held on, persisting in kneeling down night and morning to pour out his heart to his Father in heaven. In spite of the cruel blows which were directed at him, he pleaded with God for the souls of the godless crew. With a heart sorely tried, and well-nigh breaking at times, the boy wandered about the vessel seeking a quiet spot, but seldom finding one.
In the course of one voyage the little vessel encountered a succession of terrific storms, day by day increasing in violence.
The captain and crew were too much occupied now to notice the boy, so amid the furiously raging elements his happiest and most peaceful moments were spent.
One awful night, when the sky overhead was dark with clouds, and the sea dashed mercilessly over the decks of the frigate, Tommy stole aft, and clinging with both hands to a rope, kneeled on the wet boards and pleaded for the men who were hurrying hither and thither carrying out the captain’s orders.
“It’s all up with us, Bill,” he heard the latter say to the chief mate, in a hoarse whisper. “It’s no use trying to save her.” Then the thundering voice of the waves drowned their voices, but still Tommy went on praying.
Presently he heard above the rain and wind the sound of his own name, shouted in different parts of the vessel. Springing to his feet, and clinging to every available rope, he made his way to the captain’s side.
“Do you want me, Sir?” he asked.
“Look here, boy,” said the captain, “we’re going to the bottom. It’s impossible to do anything now — but and stern and weather-beaten as he was, his voice trembled, “there’s a God in heaven, you say — well — I — I thought perhaps you’d pray for us.” Tommy gave one bright, glad look into the captain’s face.
“O yes, Sir,” he answered, without a moment’s hesitation, “I shall like that.”
The rough captain turned on his heel and led the way into his cabin below, Tommy and one or two of the crew following. There they knelt down, while the little boy prayed that the storm might abate, and with choking sobs, asked God to save the captain and men.
Very shortly afterward the fury of the waves and winds lessened, the clouds broke, and the clear winter’s moon shone down upon them. God had answered Tommy’s prayers!
Is not this a God worth knowing, who has promised, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee?”
Is Tommy’s God your God? Is the Lord Jesus Christ your Saviour and Friend?
Dear reader, settle this question now. Listen to the voice of this blessed One calling you to Himself. He has borne the punishment of sin on the cross of Calvary and now He waits to receive you. He is seated at the right hand of God in heaven from whence He offers you a full and free pardon from your sins, if you will but receive Him as your Saviour. You will then prove, as Tommy did, what a wonderful Saviour He is, able and willing to help you every day of your life, and to take you some day to His home in heaven.
ML 04/22/1956