Nighttime Encounter with a Cougar

Narrator: Chris Genthree
 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
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I had spent the day at the watershed in southeastern Washington state hunting elk. Finally I’d been able to get one. That will mean lots of meat for our freezer, I thought thankfully as I strung up the elk in a tree and began dressing it out.
I hadn’t been working on the elk very long when it began to get dark. I took my little pencil flashlight from my pocket and held it in my mouth. That way I would have both hands free to work. Suddenly a strange feeling came over me; I felt as though I was being watched! I turned around and behind me, only about five feet away, was a big, tan cougar sneaking along the ground toward the elk! I’m sure it was attracted by the smell of the freshly killed animal.
I picked up my gun to shoot the cat, but as I leaned over, my flashlight dropped and went out. I aimed where I thought the cougar would be and shot. I missed, but the noise of the gun so very close sent him scurrying off.
Have you ever been alone in the dark in a strange place? It’s a frightening experience. But just think how you’d feel if you were left in the blackness of darkness forever! The Bible tells us in 2 Peter 2:15-1715Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. 17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. (2 Peter 2:15‑17) that such a place is reserved for those who have given up the right way - those who have refused to follow the Lord Jesus.
It was quickly becoming very dark, and I was thankful for what attention I had paid to the trail on the way in as I began to work my way back to my pickup truck, one step at a time. What a relief it was to finally reach out and feel the cold metal of the pickup. But I know it was only the Lord who brought me safely back to the road. I never could have done it myself, because there were more chances to miss the trail than to stay on it. And that’s the way Christians must walk through the darkness of this world too, step by step with Jesus who is the light of the world. He says, “He that [follows] Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:1212Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)).
The next morning I returned with a friend to carry out the elk. As I looked over that night’s location, I was even more thankful that I’d been able to get back to my truck. And when we are in heaven and see all the way God’s goodness and light has led us through this evil world, how we’ll praise Him and thank Him for His love and protection!
“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105105NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105)).
ML-01/28/2007