Cindy and her parents were going on their first vacation with their new trailer. Oh, what fun it was going to be visiting the national parks out West. On the way they were going to spend a weekend with relatives in Iowa who lived on a farm. Seeing all the animals would be fun, too.
While they traveled along the highway, five-year-old Cindy thought about all the exciting things ahead. Her parents had been talking for a long time about their “big vacation trip.”
Cindy looked out the back window at the shiny trailer they were pulling. “It will be fun sleeping in the trailer, too,” she thought. Cindy settled back down on the seat with her collection of dolls that were also going on vacation.
Everything went well for the first two days of the trip. They had spent two nights at campgrounds along the way. Cindy had even gone swimming at a lake with a sandy beach. Tonight they planned to be at the farm.
Daddy was using a map to guide them to the farm. They had gotten off the highway and were now traveling along country roads. Now the signs telling them which way to turn were not nearly as good as they were on the highway. Several times Daddy stopped so that he and Mother could study the map.
They turned onto a narrow, paved road that from the map looked like it should lead to the town that was near the farm. After several miles this road turned into a dirt road. Traveling on this was fun at first, while the sun was shining and the road was still dry. But when dark clouds gathered and the rain began to pour, then it wasn’t so much fun.
How it rained! It came down so hard that soon all the fields on both sides of the road were becoming little lakes, and the road was a sea of mud. Daddy drove more and more slowly as it continued to pour. He was having trouble seeing the road and wanted to pull off, but couldn’t. Finally, seeing a place that looked wide enough for both the car and trailer, he pulled off the road to wait for the rain to stop.
As soon as Daddy pulled off he knew that they were in trouble. The big, heavy trailer sank down in the soft mud, and the car couldn’t pull it out.
He got out of the car to see if he could do anything, but the mud covered his shoes and the rain soaked him to the skin.
“It’s pretty bad,” he said as he got back in the car again. “I’m afraid we are going to be stuck here for awhile.”
He was right. It continued to rain, and gradually the light began to fade as night came creeping on.
Poor Cindy began to get frightened, and nothing her parents said seemed to help. They told her that there was nothing to worry about, because they could easily spend the night in the trailer. But Cindy could not be comforted. She did not like the idea of staying out there on that narrow dirt road where something might come along in the dark and run into them. She wanted to get to the farm, or at least to a campground.
“Let’s pray about it,” suggested Daddy. So they bowed their heads and Daddy asked the Lord Jesus to help them get out of the mud. After he finished Cindy spoke up with such a simple little prayer; it was so straightforward—“Please, Lord Jus, push us out of the mud.”
How wonderful to be able to talk to the Lord Jesus in prayer. We can pray anytime, not only when we are in trouble. Can you pray knowing He will hear you? You can if you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. To you who have done this He has promised, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:55Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5).
With His promise to be with us all the time, we can talk to Him in prayer anytime we want. When He becomes our Saviour, we become one of His sons or daughters. We can talk to Him just like a child talks to its father. But first we must become part of His family. We must be saved from the sinful condition that each of us is in without the Lord Jesus. We must realize that as lost sinners we cannot help ourselves. It is only the Lord Jesus who can save us. On the cross He was punished and died for sinners. All who believe in Him know that their sins are washed away in His precious blood. Then as His children we can ask for help anytime because “salvation... is of the Lord: He is their [our] strength in the time of trouble.” Psalms 37:3939But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. (Psalm 37:39).
Soon after they finished praying the rain stopped, and Daddy got out of the car again. He found a shovel in the trailer and began to dig the soft, oozy mud away from the wheels. While he was digging Cindy was still in the car quietly repeating her prayer, “Please, Lord Jesus, push us out of the mud.” In between prayers she would watch Daddy through the window.
After much digging Daddy was able to clear most of the mud out from around the wheels. Then a farmer on a big green tractor came down the road. He had been caught out in the rain too and had waited until it stopped. He pulled in front of the car, fastened a chain underneath the car, and then slowly pulled both the car and trailer back onto the road.
Oh, how relieved they were. Cindy and her parents thanked the farmer. Daddy tried to pay him for his trouble, but he would not take any money. He smiled and said, “Glad to help,” and then climbed back onto the tractor and headed down the road.
Cindy and her parents got back in their car. First, they thanked the Lord Jesus for sending a farmer who could help them. Then they started on their way again and were soon at the farm.
What an exciting story they had to tell. Cindy felt that the farmer came as an answer to her prayer. For many days after that, when she prayed before going to bed, she thanked the Lord Jesus for helping them. She always said the very same words— “Thank you, Lord Jesus, for pushing us out of the mud.”
ML-07/17/1983