Mr. Judson’s Pillow

pillow

It was only a pillow, a hard, lumpy pillow. It was so hard the prison guard didn’t want it. It was so ugly-looking the other prisoners didn’t even want to steal it. But it was Mr. Judson’s pillow - the only pillow he had. Mr. Judson was in jail in Burma. He and his wife were missionaries there. He was suffering for Christ’s sake over 150 years ago.

“Why do you take such good care of that old pillow?” the other prisoners asked. “Couldn’t your wife make a better one than that?” “Perhaps she could,” the missionary replied. “But she wants me to have a pillow. The floor is so hard and dirty; she wants me to have a pillow to rest my head on.” To Mr. Judson, his pillow was very precious. It must never be stolen, for there was a treasure sewn inside.

For many years Mr. Judson had worked hard translating the Bible into the language of Burma. But the people hated God and they hated Mr. Judson, and they had thrown him into prison. They hated God’s Word too, and if they could only find it, they would burn it. But Mr. Judson’s translation of the Bible was hidden in this hard pillow, and for months the pillow stayed in the dungeon with Mr. Judson. But one day Mr. Judson was transferred to another prison and the guards took the pillow away.

After Mr. Judson was transferred to another prison, the guards tossed his pillow out into the yard. The soldiers walked over it and kicked it, and the pigs pushed it around. But God watched over it.

In the yard, one day, roamed a Burmese Christian. His heart was sad. They had taken away his dear friend, Adoniram Judson. Perhaps he would never see him again. And then he spied the pillow. It was Mr. Judson’s pillow! He carefully picked it up and gave it to Mrs. Judson.

How thankful Ann Judson was to receive the pillow. She rejoiced as one who had found a great treasure. She ripped open the pillow - there safe inside, was the Word of God for the Burmese people.

A long time later, Mr. Judson was freed from prison. When he walked into the house, Ann said, “Look on that table over there.”

Mr. Judson walked up to the table and there he saw his precious papers - the Word of God. That bumpy, hard, old pillow with God’s Word tucked safely inside had been rescued.

Mr. Judson loved the Lord Jesus with all his heart. He loved the Burmese people who had never heard of the Savior. He was most anxious that these people should receive God’s message of love, and like Paul and his companions he was willing to suffer for it. He would even die in the effort, if that were necessary.

Do you love the Lord Jesus? Is He your Savior? Then tell others about Him.


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