Many, many years ago a small French army took possession of a fortified town in Germany. The men had been promised, in reward for their fighting, that they might plunder the homes and take anything they chose. A man named Egelrich broke into the home of a poor widow. When he entered the room he found the lady surrounded by four little children, and Gottlieb, the eldest, ran up to the savage soldier and offered him a picture Bible, saying, “There, that is my most precious treasure. I will give it to you, but do not hurt my mother.”
The soldier was surprised, and opening the Book, his eye fell on a page he remembered reading years before. It was a message from God, and affected him so he could not move. With his eyes full of tears he said to the woman, “I shall take nothing from you, but do let me have the Bible.”
“May God’s blessing go with you, noble man,” said the poor woman. Then he stood outside the door to turn away other soldiers who would enter.
The next day the German army arrived and they soon cleared the town of the French soldiers. Egelrich was shot twice in the breast and left for dead, but after a while he regained consciousness and found that both bullets were lodged in Gottlieb’s Bible!
Seven years later when Egelrich was chief of a battalion, he sent a letter to Gottlieb, enclosing some money. This is what he said: “This is a small reward to the noble boy who gave his most precious possession as a ransom for his mother, and saved his grateful friend, Egelrich. Chief of Battalion.”
How wonderful are the ways of God, and how He cares for those who trust in Him! ‘Even the hairs of their heads are all numbered. Surely we can say— “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall. I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear.” Psa. 27:1, 31<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)
3Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. (Psalm 27:3).
ML 02/19/1950