Where are you going, Mother?” asked Bertie, looking up at his mother’s thin and tired face.
“I have to take this work over to Mrs. Weston. I should have taken it last night, but I didn’t get it finished in time.”
“Mother,” —then there was a thoughtful pause. “Mother, what are we going to have for dinner today?”
“Bread and dripping, Bertie. That is all Mother has.”
“But we had that yesterday, and for so many days. Oh, I do want somhing nice. I want a sausage for my dinner.”
“And I want a nice red beet, Mother,” called Betty, Bertie’s younger sister, “Will you bring me one, Mother?” Her tiny wistful face looked up hungrily.
“Mother can’t today, my dears. I have to pay rent with the money that will come for this work.” Through her many trials and sorrows, this dear mother had taught her boy and girl of the love of Jesus in dying on the cross, and daily she taught them to make their needs known to Him.
“Mother,” said Bertie, “Jesus could send us sausages and beets, couldn’t He?”
“Yes, Bertie, He could but”— she was going to say that it might not be His will for today, but the little fellow spoke up quickly.
“Then I’m going to ask Him.” Down on his knees he dropped with Betty by his side. He closed his eyes, and in an earnest voice said, “Please, Lord Jesus, we do want something very nice for our dinner. I want sausages, and Betty wants beets, and mother hasn’t got money to buy them for us, so please send them to us. Amen.”
Let us watch Mother as she reaches Mrs. Weston’s home.
“Good-morning, Mrs. Allen! Step right into the kitchen for a minute while I get your money for you.” Soon Mrs. Weston came back with the money, and then suddenly she said, “By the way, the butcher sent two pounds of sausages this morning by mistake as I only ordered one. I was going to send one pound back, but I’m sure you could use them, couldn’t you?”
Was it any wonder that the tears came into Mrs. Allen’s eyes as the sausages were handed to her? “Thank you so much,” she said.
But there was yet another call to be made, and that was to help her sister-in-law cut out some sewing work. This was soon done, and she was just leaving, when her brother came in from the garden, carrying a basket of vegetables. “How are you, Jennie, and how are Bertie and Betty? Would you like a few beets for them? I have just pulled some and they are beauties.” Into the basket went four big round beets beside the sausages.
Mother could hardly wait to get home, “Mother, it’s nearly dinner time, but the sausages and beets haven’t come,” said Bertie, as his mother opened the door. “But it isn’t quite dinner time yet,” added Betty.
Then Mother opened her basket and let the two dear children look in. “Where did they come from?” cried both at once.
“The Lord Jesus sent them, and now let us thank Him together.”
Let us remember, dear children, that the God who loved sinners and sent His Son to die, also watches over and cares for us, and when we have trusted in Jesus as our Saviour, He wants us to know that He is our Father and that He cares for us every day.
“My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” Phil. 4: 19.
ML 08/26/1951