Isaiah 65:24

I received this email from my Aunt Polly and I love it, it reminds me of Gretchen's story (gFamily) of how her son's class prayed for their daughter to come home from Guatemala and she found out that they had completed the last step of the adoption process the very same day. Read on, you will be blessed.

Isaiah 65:24 'Before they call, I will answer'

This story was written by a doctor who worked in South Africa . One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but inspite of all we could do, she died leaving us with a tiny premature babyand a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping thebaby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run anincubator). We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on theequator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One studentmidwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool thatthe baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She cameback shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it hadburst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). 'And it is our lasthot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good cryingover spilled milk so in Central Africa it might be considered no goodcrying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and thereare 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 anyof the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave theyoungsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told themabout the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warmenough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could soeasily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-oldsister, crying because her mother had died. During prayer time, one ten-year old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usualblunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed,'send us a water bottle. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the babywill be dead, so please send it this afternoon.' While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'Andwhile you are about it, would You please send a dolly for the littlegirl so she'll know You really love her?' As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could Ihonestly 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. Butthere are limits, aren't there?

The only way God could answer thisparticular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from homeland. I hadbeen in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, everreceived a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, whowould put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfwaythrough the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' trainingschool, 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 veranda,was a large twenty-two pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. Icould not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. Wefolded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly. Excitement wasmounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the largecardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored, knittedjerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knittedbandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a littlebored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas that would make abatch of buns for the weekend Then, as I put my hand in again, I feltthe.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out - yes, abrand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God tosend it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the frontrow of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sentthe 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 dollyto 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 myformer Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God'sprompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one ofthe 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 'thatafternoon.' 'Before they call, I will answer' (Isaiah 65:24)

This awesome prayertakes less than a minute. When you receive this, say the prayer, that'sall you have to do. No strings attached. Just send it on to whomever youwant - but do send it on. Prayer is one of the best free gifts wereceive. There is no cost but a lot of rewards.

Let's continue praying for one another... Father, I ask you to bless myfriends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to theirspirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peaceand mercy. Where there is self doubt, release a renewed confidence towork through them. Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You torenew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greaterintimacy with You. Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and releaseto them Your courage. Bless their finances, give them greater vision,and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. Giveeach of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, andreveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it. I ask you todo these things in Jesus' name.