Jewel # 33 (May 26, 2009)

"They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up MY JEWELS."
(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren,

Caspar was a great Saint Bernard dog who lived far up on the Alps mountains.  He was a king of the snow - every inch of him.  Though not a very old dog, he had already saved two lives.

One day early in the morning it began to snow up on the mountains.  Upon the mountain sides lay vast masses of snow and ice that grew heavier as the snow fell.  Sometimes just a loud word spoken would jar the air or the snow and send an avalanche crashing into the valley.  In spite of the bad weather, four men and 14-year old Paolo came trudging up the mountain road.  Palolo's father had advised the men not to attempt to cross the mountain that day, but they insisted on going on.  Paolo had slipped unseen out of the house and joined them, for he had lost one of his goats several days before and had hopes of finding it.

Suddenly one of those terrible whirlwinds which often occur in the Alps swept around a corner and moments later Paolo found himself buried beneath an immense heap of snow.

He could breath but that was all.  How many feet of snow were above him he did not know.  He found himself sinking deeper and deeper in the soft snow.  At last his feet touched the ground.  He struggled and kicked and rolled and scrambled his way along for several yards.  Suddenly he stumbled out into the open air and went plunging down a precipice only to fall into a another bed of snow.  He found himself on a ledge some 20 feet below the road, but there he was unable to go further.

Paolo thought about his parents and what a wretch he was for leaving them as he had done.  He could not shout for the cold, and he could not see far.  He knew if he went to sleep, he would never wake up again.  In all the world there was no one who could save him.  But Paolo was not counting on Caspar.  Then he dozed off.

In the meantime the four men had gone on and reached the inn.  They told how Paolo had disappeared in the avalanche of snow.

At once two men started our with Caspar.  Right through the snow storm came the great dog!  Running over the frozen crust, plunging through the deep places, bounding, leaping, caring not for the drifts or storm, like a snow king, as he was, came Caspar.

He made a dash at Paolo and rolled him over in the snow.  Then he barked at him in his deep gruff voice as if to say, "Wake up, foolish boy!  Don't you know I am here?  It is all right now."  He pushed Paolo first on one side and then the other until finally the boy opened his eyes.

Again the great Caspar barked.  His loud commanding voice seemed to announce: "I've found him!  Here he is!"  The two men arrived, and taking Paolo by the arms, they lifted him up.  They started home with Paolo between them and Caspar leading the way.

Caspar cared not for drift or storm until he found the boy.  Conquerer of the snows, triumphant over the storm, he was a true snow king.

And the Lord Jesus has conquered death and the grave to save His lost and perishing sheep.

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
(Isaiah 53:6)

Would you like to be saved?  Simply tell Jesus that you are a sinner.  Then - - -  

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved."
(Acts 16:31)

Jewel # 32 (May 12, 2009)

"They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in the day when I make up MY JEWELS."
(Malachi 3:17)
   

To my dear Grandchildren,

He was only a poor shepherd in Southern India.  His hours were long and his work difficult.  He rode an old ox which he had trained and brought up, and the flock followed him in the true Eastern custom.  One of the difficulties the shepherd had to encounter was the lack of water.  To find a well was a most welcome occurrence.

A day came when the  poor goats had been without water for some time.  Leaving the ox with them, the shepherd wandered a long time in search of water.  Suddenly he came upon an old well, among some ancient ruins.  While he was looking down to investigate, the edge of the well gave way and the shepherd fell some feet.  However, he was caught upon a ledge and his life was spared. 

Somewhat bruised and half-stunned, the poor man began to collect his thoughts.  He was truly in a pitiable plight, more than a mile from his faithful ox and the flock of goats.  He was not able to climb up the side of the well and not a soul could hear his cry for help.

Just then he heard a hissing sound and, though it was growing dark, he saw something moving below in the bottom of the well.  It was a mass of snakes!  What was he to do?  In the hour of his extreme danger, he remembered that when he was a boy there had come into his native village a missionary.  Although he had not taken much heed, he went to hear the white teacher speak.

One thing he remembered the missionary had said, and that was that in the hour of danger or trouble, a certain wonderful Lord Jesus Christ would hear and answer prayer.  With a childlike faith, in agony and fear, the poor man prayed to the Lord for help.  After praying for some time, he seemed to to have fallen asleep.  Some hours later he woke up and found it was dawn - the darkness had gone!  Something was touching his head.  He looked up and saw the face of his old ox looking down at him, and it was the rope dangling from the faithful animal's neck that was touching his head.  Grasping the rope he called to the ox to back away.  Thus he was pulled from the well.  In answer to his prayer God had sent his ox to find him and saved his life.

It was this experience that brought the shepherd to trust in the Lord, and he became a faithful follower of His.  He devoted his life in testifying to his people of that wonderful God who answers prayer. 

"As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me."  (Psalm 55:16)
"What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee."  (Psalm 56:3)
"Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me."  (Psalm 50:15)