I'm reading a new book by Francis Chan called "Forgotten God." It's all about the neglect of the Holy Spirit in the western culture and our need to call on the Spirit at all times. It's an amazing book that I recommend to anyone wanting to take their faith to a new level. I received this email today from a wonderful friend and it reminds me that God really does know what we need even before we do and always provides for those that trust in Him... I hope it touches you like it did me...enjoy.
Before they call, I will answer. Isaiah 65:24
One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite
of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a
crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby
alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator).
We also had no special feeding facilities.
Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous
drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the
cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in.
Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back
shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst
(rubber perishes easily in tropical climates)..
'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is
no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa
it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles.
They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.
'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and
sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts Your job is
to keep the baby warm.'
The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of
the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters
various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny
baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough,mentioning
the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got
chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her
mother had died.
During prayer time, one ten -year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual
blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'Send
us a hot water bottle today It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will
be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'
While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while
You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so
she'll know You really love her?'
As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly
say 'Amen?' I just did not believe that God could do this.
Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are
limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer
would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa
for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel
from home.
Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle?
I lived on the equator!
Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training
school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the
time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the verandah was a large
22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel
alone, so I sent for the orphanage children.. Together we pulled off the
string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to
tear it unduly Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes
were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out
brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then
there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children
looked a little bored.. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that
would make a batch of buns for the weekend.
Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be?
I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I
cried.
I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could.
Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out,
'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!'
Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small,
beautifully-dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted!
Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to
that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?'
'Of course,' I replied!
That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my
former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's
prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator.
And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months
before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it
'that afternoon.'
'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)
No comments:
Post a Comment