I wept when I read this. God is great! I found it so touching Isaiah 65:24 :- "Before they call, I will answer." This is a testimony written by a doctor who worked in Africa. 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) Prayer is one of the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost, but a lot of rewards. Let's continue to trust in God with all our heart. What a faithful God!
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Friday, February 23, 2024
Monday, September 18, 2023
Tuesday, July 04, 2023
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Thursday, October 06, 2022
Freedom Group! Week of October 5-12
Blessings Friends,
We reviewed and discussed The Tree of Life and Spiritual Order. Thank you, Shayna, for sharing your transformation story and your questions. Powerful! I'd like to send out the words of your post for us to savor. Thank you for reading it to us. Thank you to all of you for showing up and pressing into the LIFE that Jesus has purchased for you! You are LOVED! Out of that love, we walk in His power!
Now we dive into Week 5 Overflow of the Heart
and
Week 6 A Life of Surrender
Here is the link to the Week 5 Video
Pastor Chris Hodges: Overflow of the Heart
Watch the Video and prayerfully chew on the truths of pages 60 and 61.
Then onto Pages 65-75 for A Life of Surrender.
Make notes in the margins and underline the meaningful pages. Take note of each scripture and APPLY APPLY APPLY. What part's speak to you the loudest or the deepest?
When Jesus is our Lord, we are Sons with Him! What is your inheritance? The enemy cannot rob you so don't allow it. You have been given an abundant life in Jesus and we are learning to walk in His Ways and abide in His Presence and listen for His voice. He is guiding us step by step! As Sarah said, His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We don't focus on the darkness, we watch where we are going in the light!
God bless you all for participating! God is moving amongst us and transforming us from glory to glory as we behold Him.
Tuesday, October 04, 2022
Monday, September 13, 2021
Thursday, December 24, 2020
Clothe Yourselves with Compassion
Set your hearts on things above.
Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature.
Rid yourselves of all such things (anger, slander, filthy language...)
Take off your old self with its practices and put on the new self.
Clothe yourself with compassion, humility, patience....
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
Apostle Paul to the Colossians
And to you.
From God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday, February 10, 2020
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