“MOTHER, your Bible saved my life!” were the words of a young soldier returning to his loved home once more. And after the first welcome, the humble meal being over, the shades of night were falling as the old folks settled down to hear with breathless interest of how a mother’s Bible was used of God in preserving the life of the boy they loved.
Called away to the war, before he left his mother gave her boy a favorite Bible. Not that he cared for the precious Book or its contents, but he stored it away carefully, thinking it might come useful in some way, not then clear to him. Strong and healthy, he would not likely become one of those goody-goody sort of praying and hymn-singing fellows. Still, for his mother’s sake, the Bible would go with him in peace or war.
After some months at the front, he found himself in the midst of a very fierce engagement. Companions dropped all around him, his chum fell at his side mortally wounded, a splinter of shell struck him and almost laid him low beside his friend. Stunned by the blow, he began to think what would have happened to him if he had been fatally wounded. He knew enough of his mother’s Bible to realize that, sinner that he was, he was in danger of everlasting destruction.
On examining the Bible he was surprised to find that the bullet had pierced the Bible, turned it from his heart, and thus saved his life. Surely such a book deserved his attention, especially at such a serious time in life. The first opportunity he had, he quietly turned over the leaves, noting two well-marked verses, one in Isaiah 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6): “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all;” the other, the well-known words of John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16), which have been blessed to many.
Days passed, the word settled on his mind and heart, till one night after he had sufficiently recovered, he was so impressed with the goodness of God in saving his life that he was led to repentance. Acknowledging his need in that he had gone far astray, he saw clearly that God loved him, so loved him as to lay on the spotless head of His only begotten Son his many sins. Moreover, he realized that simply believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, accepting Him as his Saviour, he became a child of God, had everlasting life, and would never perish.
ML-01/09/1966