LAST WEEK we told you the story of Pancho, the dear Christian Indian boy who in love to his brother, Pedro, who was unsaved, took Pedro’s place in the war. The Lord watched over Pancho and spared him through those three awful years of fighting, so that he came back home safely.
While in the army, because of his faithfulness, the officer of the regent used him as a sentinel. A sentinel is one who stands guard in the quiet of the night and watches, ready to give the alarm if the enemy should attack. If he sees or hears the enemy approaching, he fires his rifle into the air and then runs back to rejoin the regiment. But on no account must he fire unless it is to warn the regiment that the enemy is approaching.
One night while Pancho was on sentinel duty, just past midnight he heard a rustling behind him. Turning quickly around he pointed his rifle in the direction from whence the sound came. He thought the enemy had sneaked up on him, as sentinels do, and he expected to see a flash, then all would be over. He thought of home, of the dear missionary friend he loved, and he prayed that if he were shot by the enemy that he would be “absent from the body, and present with the Lord.”
Nothing happened, however, but as he thought and prayed, he heard another rustling on the other side; so he swung around and pointed his rifle in that direction. Then as he waited he heard the sound again, but behind him this time. You can imagine how he felt. Swinging around he pointed his rifle in that direction. A fourth time he heard the noise, and again he swung around.
Then what do you think he saw? The moon was just emerging from behind the clouds when the head of a huge tiger appeared through the jungle, his two eyes shining like balls of fire in the moonlight. Pancho lifted his rifle and drew a bead on the eye of the tiger, but being a sentinel he was afraid to fire.
So he prayed again. “Lord Jesus, I can’t fire at this tiger. But Thou hast shown me such kindness and favors, because I belong to Thee. Please take this animal away, Lord Jesus.”
And what do you think happened? The Lord answered his dear servant’s cries, for the tiger went quietly away, and left Pancho alone. Many sentinels were carried away by tigers during the Chaco war, but here is a case where God showed kindness to a “good man” who took his brother’s place, and feared not death.
The sad part of this whole story is that in spite of his noble brother’s self-sacrificing love in taking his place in the war, Pedro never turned to the Lord. Years have come and gone and Pedro is still unsaved.
Must it be said of you, dear reader, that in spite of the love of the Lord Jesus who went into death for you that you might be spared God’s judgment against your sins, that you do not care to have Him for your Saviour, and that you are still unsaved? God grant that it might not be so.
DECIDE for Christ today,
And God’s salvation see;
Yield soul and body, heart and will
To Him, who died for thee!
ML-11/07/1971