Very slowly and quietly Chief Sundu climbed the steep cliff toward the vulture’s nest. I wondered what he was going after; the eggs or the mother vulture? As I watched from the thick jungle around the clearing near the cliff, I soon saw what the chief was after: a 20-foot-long snake, a python, which was also very slowly moving toward the nest. The python wanted the eggs, but Chief Sundu wanted the snake! There would be lots of good meat for the people in his village if he could kill that huge snake. The chief slowly drew back his spear, aiming it at the python’s head.
I had met Chief Sundu several weeks earlier. I was a missionary in Africa, traveling to different villages to preach the gospel. I had asked permission from Chief Sundu to have a gospel meeting. He had answered angrily, “You cannot come here! Get out at once!” I had returned to the mission station, but continued to pray that God would open the way to preach in that village.
I had left early that morning on another trip going near Chief Sundu’s village, but I was not planning to go to his village. Along with my backpack and Bible I also carried a rifle. There were reports of tigers seen in this area of the jungle. As I walked along the narrow path I again thought of Chief Sundu and his village. I quietly asked the Lord to show me how I could get permission to preach in that village.
As I walked along the trail, I saw a clearing ahead. Before I reached the clearing, I could see the hunting party watching Chief Sundu as he stalked the python. I hid in the jungle where I could watch.
Just as Chief Sundu was taking careful aim at the snake with his spear, the mother vulture dove at the snake. She had been flying overhead in circles, squawking loudly. Then in desperation she attacked the python, making long gashes on its body with her talons. As the snake backed away from the nest, it spotted the chief and quickly coiled part of its body around the chief’s leg. He threw his spear at the huge snake, but it missed! The snake continued winding itself up around the chief’s body and started to squeeze. There was nothing the hunting party could do, since the snake was too far up the cliff to reach with their spears. I knew that Chief Sundu would soon be crushed to death by the snake.
Without stopping to think what the hunting party might do to me, I ran into the clearing at the base of the cliff. I braced myself against a rock and, taking careful aim with my rifle so that I wouldn’t hit the chief, I fired three quick shots into the head of the python. As it slowly lost its grip on Chief Sundu, the hunting party ran up the cliff and helped him down.
When Chief Sundu reached the bottom of the cliff, he ran to me, saying in his language, “Thank you, thank you for saving my life!”
Then I knew that this was the answer to my prayer, and said, “Chief Sundu, I have saved your life. In return I ask permission to preach to your people. Satan, the Evil One, has them bound in sin just like you were bound in the python’s coils. No one can free himself, just like you were not able to free your self. I have freed you from the python, but only the Lord Jesus Christ can free you and your people from the power of Satan. May I have permission to tell your people about the Lord Jesus Christ and how He can save them?”
The proud chief looked at me and answered, “Yes, my people will listen to your story.”
The Lord had opened the way into that village. During the years that followed, Chief Sundu and many of his people accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Saviour.
As you read this story, what are your thoughts about the Lord Jesus Christ? The Bible asks the question, “What think ye of Christ?” Matthew 22:4242Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. (Matthew 22:42). What is your answer—a good teacher? a great man? Or can you say, like the apostle Paul, that He is “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20). He died for you on that cross. He suffered there for your sins. Do you know that you are a sinner and need a Saviour? Chief Sundu had refused to listen to the story of Jesus and the cross. Don’t be like Chief Sundu and refuse Christ. Don’t put it off until sometime later. It may be too late then. Accept Him as your own Saviour now.
ML-02/15/1981