There was a lonely traveler on the way. He was on his way to the monastery. It was a famous merchant in the city Peter Medvedev. Lucky and working, he quickly made a fortune, acquired a beautiful house, where he lived happily with his wife and son.
But the hour has come. First, his son fell ill, then his wife, who took care of him, and despite the efforts of the doctors, Peter lost both in almost one day. And he was so sad that the light was not nice. Started business — everything fell out of hand.
“Why do I live, for whom do I work?” he asked himself and begged God to take him.
Seeing the state of the merchant, kind people advised him to go to the monastery, where the visionary elder lived:
— So you ask him how you’re going to live.
Peter went to the monastery on foot, as was customary at that time in Russia. The monks welcomed him. He spent the first day in the service, and the elder received him on the second. Sobbing, Peter told him about his grief. He put his hand on his head and said,
— God is merciful and joy will return to your home. Go home now, and when you go through the village, pray to God and look around.
And blessed him.
It was already evening, and the monks asked Peter to stay. But the merchant thanked them and went home. He did not want to disobey the elder, although his last words were not entirely clear.
He was walking through the village and it was already dark. We need to find a place to sleep. And suddenly he sees someone walking back and forth near a house. I looked closely — the little boy, in a short zipunichka and in large boots — drowned in them. “Lord,” I thought, “who let this child go out into the street in such darkness?”
And when he saw him, he shouted,
— Grandpa, Grandpa! Did you come for me? — And ran. Runs in his boots, falls, rises and runs again, constantly repeating:
— Did you come for me, Grandpa?
«Well,» thinks the merchant, «it seems that the little boy got lost and was glad that he met a living soul.»
— After you, he said and took him in his arms. So where do you live, boy?
And the child looks at him joyfully with cornflower eyes and explains:
— I lived with my grandfather, he was buried yesterday, and I was taken by my neighbor, Grandma Martha. I cried all day, cried so much, and at night in my sleep my grandfather came and said: «Don’t cry, Nikolka, and tomorrow night go outside, a new grandfather will come for you and take you with him.» I’ve been waiting for you.
— Did God give me a grandson? — Peter rejoiced and carried the child into the house.
They were met by an old grandmother and began to scold the boy for running away from the stove into the street.
“Grandma,” explained Nikolka, “don’t be angry.” I was supposed to meet my new grandfather.
Peter stripped the boy and put him on the stove. Nikolka clinged to him, hugged him with two hands by the neck and whispered:
— Will you leave tomorrow without me? The troubled merchant replied:
— How could I leave alone if your grandfather handed you over to me? Sleep, buddy, sleep.
And the boy fell asleep.
Author: Boris Ganago, «On the Providence of God»
The Holy Land Charitable Foundation
Soul investment!
Orthodox stories from life
