Some years ago, there lived a godly man whose name was D. Without any fault of his own, he went behind with his rent.
His landlord was a very hard-hearted man, and, although it was winter, he threatened to turn him out unless the rent was paid.
D. went to see him three times to tell him how sick his wife had been, and this had prevented him, from paying the rent, but that he would be sure to pay it, if he would allow him a little time. He would not listen to him, but only said he would come the next morning to turn him out of the house, D. went home feeling very sad, and gathered his family around him for prar. He told God all about their trouble, and asked Him to send them help in some way. After prayer, they sang a hymn, beginning with the words,
“Commit thou all thy griefs
And ways into His hands.”
The closing lines of the last verse were these:
“When Thou wouldst all our need supply,
Who, who shall stay Thy hand?”
While they were singing this last verse a gentle tapping was heard at the window. An old friend was there. It was a raven that D,’s grandfather had taken out of a nest while young and tamed it, and then set at liberty.
He often came to the cottage, and if he found the door was shut, would light on the window-sill and tap at the window till they let him in, D. opened the window as usual, and the raven hopped in, but holding in his bill a gold ring set with precious stones, which he laid down before them. Here was an answer to their prayer that filled the hearts of all the family, with gladness.
At first, D. thought he would sell the ring, and pay his rent with the price of it; but afterward he thought it would be better to take it to the minister, and ask his advice.
He did so, and as soon as the minister saw the ring, he knew that it belonged to the King. He took it to him, therefore, and told him the story of the poor man.
The king was so pleased with this, that he sent for D. and rewarded him So that he had plenty to pay his rent and get food for his family through the winter.
When the spring came the King had a new house built for D., and gave him some cattle from his own stall; and over the door of the house, there was a cast-iron tablet, on which was the figure of a raven with a ring in his beak, and underneath a verse from the hymn they were singing when the raven came as God’s messenger to bring them relief.
We may be sure after that, whenever D. read the words of our text at the head of this article, he would surely feel that it was a wonderful promise for a time of trouble.
But in order that we may all be able to rest on the precious promises found in the Bible, we must know God as our Father and the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.
O! dear reader, do you know the Saviour as your Saviour?
ML 06/28/1942