“God will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6b

Lessons from Death Valley Days

James and I have been watching the old “Death Valley Days” television series from when I was a small child. About all I remember is Ronald Reagan hosting it and the Twenty Mule Team Borax commercials.

I have since found out why, growing up, I loved it so much and would be sure not to miss an episode. The episodes are 30 minutes of old stories of the West where the good always won out over evil and people were surprised by God’s blessings, forgiveness and love in the eleventh hour.

Tonight was an episode about a couple with a small daughter that had been kicked off of a wagon train because they though the little girl had small pox. Removing them from the wagon train was an action out of fear. But, the scoundrel that stole their gun and valuables, was out of pure selfishness and self-centeredness. Scoundrel didn’t care if they died, they were expendable, insignificant—lives had no value. When I see the commercials about abandoned animals, I think of this scoundrel.

Now we have a family abandoned with no way to protect themselves or pay for anything alone in the middle of Indian country with a very sick child. Did they have any hope? Not if we look at the natural.

Now, the situation got much worse—Indians arrived on the scene. The visitors were becoming very aggressive. The only thing of value the Indians saw were freshly made biscuits. Oh my, those biscuits were peacemakers. After seeing the ill daughter, the Chief brought in a woman to heal the little girl.

Those biscuits brought the family safely through. Scoundrel met a scoundrel’s end.

No matter the situation, there is always hope, protection and provision with God.

James and Karen Drinnon