A SMALL CIRCUS was passing through a town one day when somehow a large tiger escaped from one of the cages on wheels. Horrified townsfolk fled in all directions as the big cat had the time of his life romping about during his brief hour of freedom.
One schoolboy had a narrow escape as he ran for home with the great beast at his heels. Perhaps the tiger didn’t mean to hurt the boy; after being caged up so long it was fun to chase something. The boy managed to squeeze inside the door and was safe. But I don’t think he slept much that night. The tiger was captured soon after.
The tiger, like the lion, is a giant cat. He has no mane, but his coat of bright orange-yellow, is all covered over with black stripes. In India’s jungle land, overgrown with tall thick bushes and grass, many a tiger makes his home. He can run so swiftly that the fastest horse cannot overtake him. With great bounds he goes over the ground at a fearful speed.
Like other members of the cat tribe, the tiger has whiskers. They help him to steal softly among the branches and thick bushes. By the slightest touch on his whiskers, the tiger knows even in the deepest darkness when there is anything in his path, and whether it would make too much noise as he creeps along.
Some English officers once went out hunting in India. Returning home through the jungle they found a pretty little tiger kitten, and they took him home with them. They put a collar and chain around him and tied him to the pole inside their tent. The little tiger played about, to the delight of all the men. But just as it was growing dark, they heard a sound that caused the bravest among them to shiver. It was the roar of a great tiger.
At once the little kitten strained at the chain with all its baby strength, and tried to break loose. It uttered a loud wail that replied to the terrible voice outside. Suddenly there leaped into the very middle of the tent a huge mother tiger! She caught up her kitten by the neck and snapped with one jerk the chain which bound it. Then, turning to the tent door, she dashed away at full speed into the jungle.
I am not sorry to tell you that not a gun was fired at the brave mother as she bore her young one off in triumph.
I have often thought of that little tiger kitten, and remember that I was once a captive — taken captive by Satan at his will and held fast by the chains of sin. But just as the little tiger was content to play in his captivity so long as he was well fed, so was I content to go on in my sins. Then as the voice of the mother tiger awakened in him a longing to be free, so the voice of the Spirit of God, speaking to my heart, awakened in me a desire t; be saved. I cried to the Lord to de, liver me from my sins and He heard my cry. By His mighty power He snapped those chains which bound me, and set me free. He has re, deemed my soul, and now He is taking me home to heaven. Blessed be His name!
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15). In His death and by His resurrection He has broken the power of death and Satan for faith. He has been setting captives free ever since, for all who by faith trust Him as their Saviour He sets free from sin, from judgment and Satan’s power. He is in heaven now and has prepared a home up there for all that love Him Have you been set free yet, dear reader, or are you still a captive to Satan, still chained by your sins?
ML-10/05/1969