One day there was a terrible explosion in a coal mine. Some of the miners escaped, but others were buried alive. As the awful news spread, wives, mothers, sisters and relatives gathered near the mine to learn the fate of their loved ones. Eight men and one boy were missing. The mother of the boy sobbed:
“My David, my David! why did I allow you to go down in the mine to earn your living. My dear boy, my David!”
David’s mother was a widow, having lost her husband and four sons in a former mine explosion. David, the Youngest son, was the only one left and had been the joy and rejoicing of her heart. Now she believed him to be dead also, and how great was her grief.
Although David was quite young, his job in the mine was to open and close the trap-door when the cage was lowered and raised. Most of the time he was sitting in the dark, but at times he would light his candle and read his pocket Bible—a prize he had received for faithful attendance, and for learning Scripture verses at Sunday school. At this particular moment he was reading his Bible, when the thunder-like noise of the explosion frightened him and blew his candle out.
Trembling he managed to light the candle again and tried to open the trap-door, but he found that impossible as so much coal had fallen against it. Then he tried to find another way out of the mine, but discovered that every path was blocked by fallen coal. It soon became clear to him that he was trapped in the mine, and he began to weep, and cry, “Oh Mother, Mother!”
After putting his candle out, he got down on his knees and prayed to the Lord for deliverance. Rest and peace came into his soul, and he sat down again. He lit his candle and read Psalms 23 “The Lord is my shepherd...” But the light of his candle went out and it seemed to him that he could not breathe so freely now.
“Am I afraid to die?” he asked himself. “No, the Lord Jesus, the Son of God is my Saviour, and my Shepherd, and the blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son cleanseth me from all sin,” was the answer in his heart. A few months before he had learned that he was a lost sinner before God, and he had by faith accepted Jesus Christ as his own Saviour. He knew that the Lord had died in his stead on the cross of Calvary, had washed away his sins in His precious blood.
Now as he realized himself so near death, fear had come over him for a little while, but as he prayed, the Lord gave quietness and comfort to his young heart. He thought of the love of the Lord Jesus, and was sure that He would be with him in the dark valley of death. “He will go through with me,” he thought.
Then he remembered his dear mother and realized she would be sad, and alone. He desired to give her a word of comfort, so he took a piece of sharp coal and wrote in his Bible, “Dear Mother, Jesus is with me”—then he lost consciousness.
In the meantime a rescue party was working hard to clear the coal from the trap-door of the shaft. Soon they were able to open the door and after searching, they found the unconscious boy. Carefully they lifted him up and brought him to the surface where his anxious mother was anxiously waiting. What a great joy it was to her when he opened his blue eyes, and smiled at her.
Afterward David thought to him. self, “Why has God preserved my life while others died? It must be that He desires me to be a witness for Him,” was his heart’s reply. From then on he would joyfully confess the Lord, and often spoke to others of His glorious, saving gospel. His testimony was also backed up by a faithful walk for the Lord, and many were brought to know Him as their Saviour too.
Dear young reader, is the Lord Jesus your Saviour and Shepherd? If not may David’s testimony and experience speak to you and help you to realize how you need his Saviour too. You cannot get along without Him. Someday you may be in great danger also, and face death. Give your heart to the Lord Jesus now, and He will always be with you, through life and death.
ML 10/24/1965