THREE young men in the Congo decided to travel eight days into the jungle to the salt marshes to buy salt and sell it at home. They were accompanied by a young Christian boy. As they walked along the road, the three scoffed at the young fellow for his faith in the Lord Jesus, telling him that God did not answer prayer and it was only a “white man’s notions.” At night they slept in the forest around a campfire which helped keep off the wild beasts.
One night on their way home they were suddenly awakened by the crashing of trees and branches which told them the elephants were near. Hastily gathering their belongings they fled in one direction only to run into a troop of elephants. They turned and dashed madly away in the opposite direction, only to be met by more elephants who were trumpeting furiously. All way of escape seemed cut off.
“We are dead men. Where can we go?” they asked each other in fear.
“Kneel down here right by the fire,” said the young Christian lad, “and I will ask God to protect us.”
They knelt down around the fire and he prayed, simply committing their lives into God’s keeping. Even as they prayed a huge tusked elephant strode past within the light of the fire, and still another followed. They took no more notice of the little group than if they had been rocks or bushes.
At last the whole herd had passed. For a time the four remained kneeling, then they looked around and realized that they were delivered. Returning to the fire they knelt down once more and asked the Christian boy to return thanks to God for their wonderful escape from death. Before they reached home, a few days later, the three young scoffers had got rid of their unbelief and had turned to the Lord. Out there in the jungle they found out what a gracious Saviour He is. They learned that “this Man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.” (Luke 15:22And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Luke 15:2)). God used those elephants to awaken them to their lost condition and to work repentance in their souls.
The young Christian lad who was not ashamed to confess Christ be-fore others became one of His most trusted servants and evangelists.
ML-10/28/1973