IN A village near Warsaw many years ago there lived a Christian peasant named Dobry. His wife had been sick, and so through no fault of his he had gotten behind with his rent.
His landlord was a very hard-hearted man, and although it was winter, he threatened to turn Dobry out of his house unless the rent was paid. Dobry went to see him three times to say how ill his wife had been, that this had prevented him from paying his rent, and that he would be sure to pay if he would allow him a little more time. But the landlord would not listen. He said he was coming next morning to turn Dobry out.
That evening Dobry went home feeling very sad, and gathered his family around him for prayer. He told God all about their trouble and asked Him to please 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 the last verse a gentle tapping was heard at the window. An old friend was there. It was a raven that Dobry’s grandfather had taken out of a nest while young. He had tamed it and set it at liberty. He often came to the cottage, and if he found the door shut, he would light on the windowsill and tap the windowpane until they let him in.
Dobry rose and opened the window as usual. In hopped the raven, but what should he be holding in his bill but a gold ring set with diamonds and precious stones! The raven laid the ring down before their wondering eyes. Here was God’s wonderful answer to their prayer, an answer that filled the hearts of all the family with joy and thanksgiving.
At first Dobry 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 mister had seen the ring he knew that it belonged to the royal family of Poland. He took the ring to the King, and told him the story of the poor peasant, Dobry.
The king was so pleased that he sent for Dobry and gave him a handsome reward. Now Dobry had plenty to pay his rent with, and enough to buy food for his family all through the long winter. When spring came the king had a new house built for Dobry, and gave him some cattle from his own stalls. Over the door of the new house there was a cast-iron tablet on which was the figure of a raven with a ring in his beak. Underneath was a verse from the hymn they were singing when the raven came as God’s messenger to bring them relief.
We may be sure that whenever Dobry read the words of the text: “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you,” (John 16:2323And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. (John 16:23)), he would surely feel that it was a wonderful promise for a time of trouble.
This happened many years ago yet the Lord abides the same today’ wherever there is faith to trust Him, “Jesus Christ the Same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:88Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8), But in order that we may be able to rest on the precious promises found in God’s holy Word, we must first know God as our Father and His beloved Son as our Saviour. Oh, dear reader, do you know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour?
ML-12/21/1969