GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD
The Hot Water Bottle
THIS
STORY IS TRULY AN EYE OPENER.......
This story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa.
During the 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
water bottle. 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 by way of a corollary,
"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 twenty-two 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, Mummy, and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know
that Jesus really loves her?"
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
Please share this
amazing story with as many others as you
can.
Our God really IS .
. . AN AWESOME GOD!
1 minute prayer
This awesome prayer
takes less than a minute. When you receive this, say the prayer. That's all you
have to do.
There is nothing
attached. This is powerful. Just send
it on to whomever
you want - but do send it on.......please!
Prayer is one of
the best free gifts we receive. There is no cost
but a lot of
rewards.
Let's continue
praying for one another.
Father, I ask you
to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to
their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and
mercy. Where there is self doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your
ability to work through them. Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask
You to give them understanding, guidance, and strength as they learn submission
to Your leading.
Where there is
spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and
by drawing them into greater intimacy with You. Where there is fear, reveal
Your love, and release to them Your courage. Where there is a sin blocking
them, reveal It!, and break its hold over my friend's life.
Bless their
finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support
and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces
around them, and reveal to them the
power they have in You to defeat it.
I ask You to do
these things in Jesus' name.
P.S. Passing this
on to anyone you consider a friend will bless you both. Passing this on to one
not considered a friend is something Christ would do.
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