One sultry afternoon, two little boys were walking in the country with their mother. They were little town boys, and to them it was a treat to wander along the country lanes, gathering a bouquet of wild flowers to take back to the cottages in which they were staying. It was a very hot day, and the air so still, that the leaves on the trees seemed scarcy to move. But when they were about a mile from home, suddenly a breeze sprang up and a faint rustling was heard in the trees near by. Then from behind came a peculiar roaring, getting nearer and nearer every moment, which ended in fierce gusts of wind sweeping over the little wood, lashing the trees like a gale.
Realizing that a squall had suddenly blown up from the sea, only a few miles away, the boys’ mother turned quickly round, intending to hurry back with them as fast as possible. To her dismay she saw great banks of black clouds rolling up, threatening soon to envelop them in a drenching downpour.
One of the boys, frightened by the gathering gloom and the howling wind, began to cry, but their mother knew who to turn to in time of trouble, and she tried to comfort the boys by telling them that God could see them, and He knew the plight they were in, and that He had power to hold the storm in check until they had reached home. Then, as they stood with bowed heads and closed eyes, their mother cried to God for protection from the storm, the boys repeating the words after her. They hurried on, comforted by their mother’s assurance that God would hear the prayer of each of them, and would take care of them. After about five minutes the wind dropped as suddenly, as it had sprung up, and the clouds ceased to roll any farther towards them. The storm became a calm!
God was answering their prayer, and although that mile seemed a very long one, they encountered only a few drops of rain just before they reached the cottage; but no sooner were they safely indoors, than the rain came down in a deluge.
Safely sheltered inside the house, the mother and her boys knelt together in prayer, thanking God for the wonderful way in which He had answered their prayer for protection.
Now, dean boys and girls, I have related this incident to encourage you always to turn to God in every difficulty or danger that you may encounter, trusting in Him to hear your prayer and to come to your help. There is nothing too small to pray to Him about, and He never considers anything too small to listen to. He delights in the faith of His children far too much ever to turn a deaf ear to their cry.
ML 05/16/1943