It is always good to be reminded of the precision timing of our miracle working God's acts of love and grace.
In Kloof, Kwa-Zulu Natal, resides a couple, in their thirties, who had been married for approximately 10 years and were childless.
They had been praying for a child for most of that time. Prophecies assuring them of God's answer to their prayers had been spoken over and into their lives and they had been waiting faithfully, albeit somewhat impatiently at times.
I visited their cell group one evening - it was on a 9th of June and during the time we spent ministering to one another and praying for one another's prayer requests, the subject was again taken to God in prayer.
I queried afterwards whether they had considered adoption and they replied that they had a bad experience during an interview with a certain Welfare Society. It was so unpleasant that they decided to leave the matter as it stood.
It turned out that they were unaware of the existence of a Christian Adoption Society that had just opened offices in our church complex.
I recommended that they "telephone the office the next morning and make urgent application as I felt that God was going to do a miracle for them in the very near future". I recall repeating the necessity for them to act urgently. Where these words came from I did not know. I also remember thinking to myself as I was driving home that night: "...and what if God does not do something very soon?"
Reading Ruth Ward Heflin's book "River Glory" recently, I was reminded of this situation as she wrote, and I quote:
"Sometimes, when I was asked a question, it seemed as if I was looking on as someone else gave the answer. I was listening to myself answer, and I was hearing the answer for the first time, just like the person I was speaking to. I certainly could not take credit later for what was said." (p123)
"When we think about what we should say in a certain situation, more often than not nothing comes to us. When the moment arrives, however, and a word is suddenly dropped into our spirits and we are given the authority to speak it, we have to ask, 'where did that come from'?" (P 125)
This describes exactly how I felt about urging them to apply urgently. I certainly did not know what God had in mind.
The wife telephoned the office the next morning, and it was arranged that the forms would be available for me to pick up and hand to her at the Sunday morning service, being 13 June.
The forms were duly completed, handed in a the office and an interview beween the adoption society and couple followed shortly thereafter.
Some weeks later, again visiting their cell group, the wife shared that she was feeling very depressed, because the organization had contacted them a while before mentioning that a baby was available and then everything fell through. This plunged her into a state of depression, her hopes having been raised in vain. To crown it all, she had heard that she would have to find other employment, as her employers were experiencing problems. She then heard of a vey good position, was granted an appointment for an interview, and came the day of the interview she was unable to keep the appointment because she was too ill with a stomach bug! It seemed to her that God was not being quite fair in her circumstances, raising her hopes in both instances only to have them dashed again. We encouraged her to keep her eyes on the Lord and not on circumstances, not understanding the turn of events ourselves.
Then, one ordinary Friday morning in November, they received a telephone call from the offices of the adoption society to fetch their 5-month old baby girl! Gratitude and ecstasy ruled to say the very least!
The Wednesday evening following we all traipsed off to their cell group meeting again, armed with flowers, gifts and lots of wonderful goodies to eat to celebrate this wonderful miraculous gift from the Lord. While there, holding this beautiful, wide-mouthed, hairless, dimpled, gift from God, the question that arose in my mind, was: "Exactly when was this baby born?"
Hold onto your seats: June 12!
At that precise moment I could not recall the exact date on which they first applied although excitement at what I was beginning to understand was rising up inside me - a telephone call on Thursday morning confirmed the dates as set out above!
Needless to say, the new mom now knows exactly why she did not get to go to the interview for the new job and why her post became redundant at the old one!
Do we serve a mighty, awesome God?
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Heb. 13:8
"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen." Phil. 4:19
Thank you, Lord, that even though we may be unaware that words have been dropped into our spirit to share with those needing assistance or comfort, You have chosen each one of them at precisely the right time in the right circumstances. Thank You that You are in every circumstance, and are truly able to supply all our needs.
(Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)
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