James and Uncle Lou lived on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State in the early days. Their cabin was deep in the dense forest, which was the home of many wild animals. There were no grocery stores nearby in those days so they depended upon the wild game for their meat.
One day when they were short of supplies, they loaded their guns and started out to look for deer. They wandered deeper and deeper into the forest, but no animals crossed their path. After traveling for some distance they were unable to find their way back and realized that they were lost.
The sun had gone down and it was getting dark and very cold. Furthermore, they could tell by the dark clouds gathering overhead that a storm was brewing. They knew they could not get home before the storm broke, and they were not dressed warm enough to withstand the cold night air.
Suddenly James heard a crackling noise in the brush ahead of them. Peering through the trees he found himself face to face with a big black bear. Quickly he raised his rifle and fired. The wounded bear took a couple of steps toward them and then toppled over dead.
A cold rain was already starting to fall. James and Uncle Lou quickly skinned the big bear. They spent the night huddled together under the bearskin. The warm fur protected them from the driving rain and sleet. How thankful they were for the protection of the bearskin that cold stormy night. They felt it had saved their lives.
The next morning the storm ceased, and they found their way back home again.
When James grew older he learned about the Lord Jesus who willingly gave up His life so that sinners might be saved. His precious blood, shed on Calvary, is the sinner’s refuge from the judgment of God against sin.
I’m happy to tell you that the time came when James put his trust in the Saviour and went happily on his way home to heaven. When he had children of his own, he was faithful in telling them of the One who loved them and died for their sins. Even today his grandchildren have cause to thank God for this testimony of their Christian grandfather. They still have the bearskin. The same One who prided the bearskin and watched over James and Uncle Lou that dark stormy night, is watching over them today.
ML-03/19/1978