MOTHER’S darling boy was dying. Two little ones had already been taken. Must this one also leave her? The fond mother knelt by her child, and humbly besought the Lord to spare him, to grow up an earnest servant of God. And the Lord heard, to the astonishment of everyone; the little fellow recovered. But fresh dangers awaited the mother and her little son. Their home was far away in India, and just about this time, the terrible Indian mutiny broke out, in which the Sepoys, or natives, murdered every white man, woman or child they could find, in the most cruel manner.
One night their faithful. Hindoo servant roused the household in a terrible fright. “Wake up, wake up;” he cried, “the rebels are upon us,” and he hurried them out of the house, the mother seizing her little boy and following, she, knew not where; but looking back a few moments afterwards, she beheld her happy home in flames.
The rebels had thought to surprise them, but the One who never slumbers or sleeps, was watching over them, and sent them the warning in time to save them.
But the danger was not over; the maddened blacks followed them, shrieking with wrath and fury at being disappointed of their prey.
On, on the poor, terrified woman fled, following the steps of the faithful attendant, going she knew not where; but ever hearing behind her those fearful shrieks and yells.
At last they reached an old, deserted bungalow. “Go in, go in,” said the servant. The breathless mother hesitated, as she saw the roof was off, and the door gone. What defense would this be?
But the servant knew its want of defense was its best defense, for the enemy would not think of attacking so undefended a house. So in they went. The place was half full of hay, in the midst of which the mother knelt with her arms around her boy. Did she pray? Rather, did she cease to pray? It was a time of trouble; surely she might claim the promise, “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saveth them out of their distresses.” Psa. 107:1919Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. (Psalm 107:19). O, the blessedness of having a prayer-answering God!
Tramp, tramp, tramp. The rebels were coming. What, if they guessed their hiding place, and set fire to the hay? There was no escape; they had no defense, not even a door which they could close and bar. But had they no defense? Was not God their defense? Had they not His promise, “I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord; and thou shalt not be given into the hand of men of whom thou art afraid ... . because thou hast put thy trust in Me, saith the Lord.” Jer. 39:17-1817But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the Lord: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. 18For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 39:17‑18).
Nearer came the rebels; they were at the door; would they enter? The mother’s heart almost ceased to beat. But on they passed, two hundred of them, drunk with the blood of other victims. Once more the boy was saved, through a mother’s prayers.
Their trustworthy servant stayed with them, and after many more hair-breadth escapes, they reached a place of safety.
Time passed on, and now the lad is eighteen, and again he finds himself in the greatest danger. Not from illness, or wicked men this time. No, he is strong and healthy, and at home in peace. But at a service which one evening he attended, the Holy Spirit touched his heart, and showed him he was a lost guilty sinner, under the wrath of God, and in danger of everlasting punishment. He went home in much distress, and spent the night in prayer. In the morning, before he entered the office where he worked, by God’s grace, peace and pardon came to him. He saw his sins put away, not by his own doings; but by the perfect work of another. He knew he was saved, and he looked so happy that his companions asked the reason. Was he ashamed to tell them? No, he said right out, “I know that I am saved; my sins are washed away in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Was not that enough to make anyone happy—to be saved, and to know it?
Later on, he went as a missionary to the Hindoos. He said, “One of them saved my life, and now I want to spend my life in telling them of Jesus Christ, that great Saviour.” Have we found Jesus to be our Saviour? If so, shall we not give ourselves up to Him, to use as He pleases, for “We love Him, because He first loved us”?
Messages of God’s Love 6/8/1913