When Alan was a boy, he loved it when his dad let him ride along with him while he drove their tractor through the fields on their farm. Back then their tractor was much smaller and slower than the tractors you see in the fields today.
One day his dad was busy in the barn, and the tractor was parked beside a large field of asparagus. I bet I can drive that tractor by myself, Alan thought. I’m ten years old now, and I know I can do it. So he jumped up onto the seat of the tractor and shifted it into gear; then he gave it some gas. That tractor took off, bouncing over the rows of asparagus and jolting Alan from one side to the other!
Alan didn’t know how to stop the tractor and he was scared, so he started screaming! He knew if he fell off the seat, he’d be run over by those huge rear tires. He was a very frightened ten-year-old and didn’t know what to do.
Boys and girls, have you ever been in a frightening situation and, like Alan, you didn’t know what to do? If you belong to the Lord Jesus, your first thought should be to ask Him for help. He sees you and knows exactly what’s happening, and He will answer your prayer. He tells us in the Bible, “Call unto Me, and I will answer [you]” (Jeremiah 33:33Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3)).
Alan screamed louder, and his dad came running out of the barn. Oh, no! thought his dad as he raced toward the tractor, praying as he ran. “Lord, help me get that tractor stopped!” He knew he had to get it out of gear, but the tractor was big, and it was moving quickly over the rough ground.
Seeing his dad running towards the tractor, Alan stopped screaming and started to cry. He didn’t want his dad to die! He knew if his dad fell under those big tractor tires, he would be crushed! Oh how he wished with all his heart that he had never tried to drive the tractor by himself.
Now if you remember, Alan’s dad had already cried to the Lord Jesus to help him stop the tractor. Do you think the Lord heard and answered that urgent prayer? Yes, He certainly did.
Finally Alan’s dad was able to outrun the tractor and get his hands on the gearshift. Grasping the gearshift, he shifted it into neutral, and then the tractor slowed to a stop. “They cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He [saves] them out of their distresses” (Psalm 107:1919Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. (Psalm 107:19)).
Alan and his dad hugged each other tightly. “Thank you, Dad, for saving my life. I know now I should never have tried to drive the tractor by myself. I’m sorry! Look at all the asparagus I messed up too.”
Alan’s dad gave his son another hug. “I’m just glad it all turned out okay, and neither of us got hurt,” he said.
For you boys and girls who already have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, we hope you talk to Him every morning and ask Him to help you through the day and make the right decisions. You don’t have to wait until you are in a scary situation to ask for His help. He wants to help you with little everyday problems too. And then He loves to hear you thank Him at bedtime for taking care of you all through the day. He also loves to hear you thank Him for washing your sins away and making you one of His children.
If there is a boy or girl reading this story who does not know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, we want to tell you that He loves you very, very much, and He died to save you from your sins. He invites you to be one of His children so you can share His happy home in heaven someday. Will you admit to Him that you are a sinner and are sorry for your sins? He will gladly wash every one of them away forever and make you one of His sons or daughters. Then you will be able to call on Him as your heavenly Father to help you with any problem. He has promised, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5)).
ML-01/06/2013