Two Christian ladies in the far East were taking a little vacation during the hot summer. They had gone to live in a small cottage on the side of the hill; indeed, the hill formed the back of the house, so that one could easily get onto the roof from the side of the hill.
One night when they were both in bed and asleep, they awoke to the sound of heavy footsteps on the roof. They soon guessed that it was a tiger come down from the mountains. They were both very frightened. It was a hot night and all the windows were wide open. They knew that in another minute the tiger could come on the veranda, and could easily spring in on them.
What do you think they did? Get up and look for a gun to shoot the wild beast? No, there was no gun in the house; they were quite helpless. One thing they could do, and that was to get down on their knees and ask God to take care of them. They knew that their God was the same One who had shut the lions’ mouths when Daniel was put in the den, so they cried to Him for help and protection.
The ladies very soon heard the tiger jump from the roof to the veranda. They could hear him breathing just outside their window. Would he spring in on them in another moment?
No, he passed their window, and went to the next one. This was the bathroom, and just inside the window was a large tub full of water, in readiness for the morning bath. Mr. Tiger made a great leap; then they heard a plunge and a great splash; he had landed in the bath tub.
You know that cats do not like water, and after all a tiger is just a great big cat; so he did not stay in that tub to take a bath, but all soaking wet, and very frightened, he leaped out of the window and off the veranda, down the hill, and they heard no more of him. How those ladies thanked God many times for His care and protection.
There is a beautiful verse about calling on God when you are in trouble: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Psa. 50:1515And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Psalm 50:15).
But do not forget the last part of that verse. How often we take God’s care of us as a matter of course, and do not thank Him at all. God sent His blessed Son into this world to save sinners such as we. The Lord Jesus took our place in that awful judgment on the cross, and died there for us. We know He rose again and has gone back to heaven; now He wants us to trust Him as our Saviour, and to thank Him for what He has done. May God lead you to do so, dear young reader, and go rejoicing on your way to heaven.
ML 06/23/1968