Some years ago a Christian merchant, in one of our American cities, failed in business and lost everything he had. After talking over their affairs with his wife, who was a faithful Christian, they decided to move out West and begin life again there. He bought some land on the wide rolling prairie, built a log cabin, and began to cultivate his farm.
In the middle of the second summer, hard work and exposure to the sun brought on an attack of sickness, and a raging fever set in. They were twelve miles away from the nearest town. One of the neighbors went there, and came back with a doctor. He examined the sick man very carefully, and left some medicine, telling his wife what to do. He said it was a very dangerous attack. If they could only get some ice to apply to the burning brow of the sick man, he thought he might get over it; but without that there was very little prospect of his recovery.
As soon as the doctor was gone, the sorrowful wife gathered her family and friends around the bedside of her sick husband, and kneeled down with them in prayer. She told God what the doctor had said, and prayed very earnestly that He who has the power to do everything, would send them some ice.
When the prayer was over, some of the neighbors whispered to each other that the poor distressed woman must be losing her mind. “The idea of getting ice here,” they said, “when everybody knows there isn’t a bit of ice in all the country! It would be contrary to all the laws of nature to have ice in summer.”
The wife of the sick man heard their remarks, but they did not shake her faith in God, and in the power of prayer. Silently, but earnestly, her heart breathed forth the cry for ice.
As the day wore on, heavy clouds began to gather in the western sky. They rolled in darkness over the heavens. The distant thunder was heard to mutter. Nearer and louder it was heard. The lightning began to flash. Presently the storm burst in its fury. It came first in rain, and then in hail. The hailstones came down in lumps of ice as big as eggs. They lay thick in the furrows of the field. The thankful wife went out, and soon came in rejoicing with a bucket full of ice. This she applied in bags to her husband’s fevered brow. The fever broke, and soon he was restored to life and health.
This grateful woman never troubled herself with any questions about whether it was a miracle or not. She only knew that she had prayed for ice in summer, and that the ice had come. And her faith was stronger than ever in that gracious Saviour, who did so many miracles when He was on earth. He has just the same power now to comfort and help His people when they are in trouble. Do you, dear reader, know this blessed One as your Saviour?
“The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” Ps. 34:17.
“MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS: BUT THE LORD DELIVERETH HIM OUT OF THEM ALL.” Ps. 34:19.
ML 06/25/1961