A Companion
In Trouble
John Jones, a minister, was traveling on horseback through a desolate region in northern Wales. He happened to see a rough looking man, armed with a big hook-type weapon, following him on the other side of the hedge. John was a little concerned because he was carrying a bag of money which he had collected for a church building. He knew the gate was coming up. He also knew he had to get off his horse to open that gate. It looked like that rough looking man was planning to get to the gate at the same time as he did. This was a very dangerous situation. He was not only concerned for the church’s money but also for his life.
John knew there was only One who could help him in a time like this. John stopped his horse, and bowed his head to pray for special help and protection. While his head was bowed and he was praying, the horse all of a sudden became very stubborn and refused to go on. John looked up after a moment of silent prayer to see what was wrong with his horse. At that moment there was another horseman beside him on a white horse. John was surprised but very happy to have a companion at this time of life-threatening trouble. Here is how John described what happened:
“I told the stranger the dangerous position in which I had been placed, and how relieved I felt by his sudden appearance. He made no reply; and on looking at his face, I saw that he was intently gazing in the direction of the gate. I followed his gaze and saw the rough looking man emerge from his hiding place, and run across a field to our left. He had evidently seen that I was no longer alone, and had given up his intended plan to rob me.
“Now that all the danger was gone, I tried to talk with my new companion, but again he would not reply. Not a word did he say. I continued talking. However, as we rode toward the gate, though I utterly failed to see any reason why he did not answer me, and indeed felt rather hurt at his silence. Only once did I hear his voice. Having watched the thief disappear, over the brow of a neighboring hill, I turned to my companion, and said, “I can not doubt for a moment that my prayer was heard, and that you were sent for my deliverance by the Lord.” Then the horseman uttered the single word, “Amen.” Not another word did he speak, though I continued to try to get from him replies to my questions.
“We were now approaching the gate. I hurried off my horse for the purpose of opening the gate, and having done so, I waited for my companion to pass through. He came not. I turned my head to look for him—he was gone! I was dumbfounded. I looked back in the direction from which we had just been riding. He was not there. He could not have gone through the gate, nor have made his horse leap the high hedges which on both sides shut in the road. Where was he? Could it be possible that I had seen no man or horse at all, and the vision was from my imagination? I tried hard to convince myself that this was the case, but in vain, for unless someone had been with me, why had the evil man, with his murderous looking sickle, hurried away? I wondered, who my companion could have been?
“Then a feeling of profound awe came over me. I suddenly remembered how he had suddenly appeared. I remembered his silence except for the single word he spoke when I spoke of the Lord. He said “Amen.” I then knew that my prayer had then been heard and that God had sent to me a helper in my time of trouble. At that moment, I got off my horse and knelt on the side of the road and offered up a prayer of thankfulness to God who had sent to me a companion and had preserved me from danger.”
“The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7.
Judy Hallingstad