A Song in the Wilderness(Darrell Case) Dan was lost. His wife knew it. His children did not. At least not yet. He tried to keep it from them as long as possible. But it was becoming clearer to them soon.
He thought he knew the way. He had led them off the trail for just a few minutes. Karen looked at him, her face pale. In fifteen years of marriage, he had never steered her wrong. When they first started out, she was not a Christian. It became clear within a few months. They clashed over everything. Dan quit attending services and stayed home. Karen was content to use Sunday morning to sleep in. Up Dan puttered around the garage or washed the car. He missed the worship service. Dan had attended the same church since childhood. They had a big fight the night his pastor came for a visit. In the end, he slept on the couch. The next Sunday, Dan went back to church by himself. He said nothing to Karen about what the pastor preached on. A year later, she surprised him by going with him to the Christmas eve service. That night, the pastor preached a message entitled ‘the greatest gift of all.’ At the end of the service, Karen accepted Christ as her saviour. To say it made a difference in their household would be an understatement. They begin working for the same goals. Then the children came. First Daron, then June.
Now he set on the same rock he had set on an hour ago. Panic gripped his heart. He fought it down. Dan glanced at his watch. 2PM. Several hours until sunset. The air was warm now, would plunge tonight. They had not prepared to spend the night on the mountain.
“What are we going to do?” Karen whispered. The children played at the edge of the water, careful not to get their feet wet. She had cautioned them about that. They would keep it from the children as long as possible.
Dan tried to smile at her. This wonderful woman. His partner, his counterpart. She who was with him on this marvelous adventure called marriage. He gripped her hand. His hand clammy.
“Honey.” Dan said with more confidence than he felt. “We will make it through. If we have to, we will heap pine needles together and burrow down in them.”
“What about wild animals? Bears and such.” He saw tears in Karen’s eyes.
“Honey, The Lord will protect us. Remember that accident you had just before Daron was born? The police officer said you and the baby should have been dead, but The Lord brought you through.”
She smiled. “I know when that boy ran the stop sign, he thought he had killed us.”
”God protected you and the baby, then. He will protect us now. We might as well eat those candy bars you insisted, we pack.”
Daron and June’s eyes lit up when they saw the candy bars. After devouring them and playing games. One in which the winner found the reddest leaves. The only rules were they couldn’t go out of their parent’s sight or go into the water.
Dan’s eye on the sun, he suggested they sing songs. When they returned home, whoever sang the loudest without singing off key would get five candy bars of his or her choosing.
“I know one.” Daron sang. June joined in. Each child tried to out sing the other. They sang as loud as they could without singing off key.
Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong.
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me, He who died,
Heaven’s gate to open wide.
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Jesus loves me, this I know,
As He loved so long ago.
Taking children on His knee,
Saying, “Let them come to me.”
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.
At the end of the song, they were all most shouting. Each one still on key if just barely. They turned to their parents as the words died away in the wilderness.
Dan and Karen laughed. “I can’t decide.” Dan said.
“I think you were both just as loud. How about we call it a tie? That means both of you win and both of you get candy bars.” Karen said.
”Yeh.” Both children jumped up and down.
“I think we should up it to ten each. I…” He said. There was a rustling in the woods. It seemed to come straight at them. Karen gathered the children, placing them behind her. Dan looked around. At his feet lay a large limb. He picked it up. Dan locked eyes with Karen. nervously he faced the danger in the woods. He would defend his family to the death.
There was a flash of brown through the trees. Dan raised the limb like a baseball bat.
The man came out of the woods. He smiled at them. “There you are. We thought you might have got turned around. Heard the song.”
Dan relaxed, dropping the limb to the ground. “We sure did.” He stepped forward and shook hands with the ranger. He lowered his voice. “Can you lead us out, please?”
“Sure can. Just follow me.”
Within a half hour, they were back on the trail. Two hours later, pulling into their driveway.
That night, they checked on the sleeping children. Dan and Karen thanked The Lord for His watch care and protection. Two boxes of candy bars set on each child’s nightstand.

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