Only remembered
because…
Recently, I was told that answered prayer is not a reality. “It’s
just one of those coincidences.” To
counteract their argument, I quoted a complicated story of what for me was an
amazing answer to prayer. Here is my story:
In my Newcourt days we had to our Sunday Service
one time a special speaker by the name of Dr Coker, from Nigeria. After he had
spoken, people wanted to be prayed for, and I let him get on with it. One lady
came forward who told him she had been married, very many years and wanted a
child. However, nothing had happened. She asked him to pray that she would have
a child. He answered her and said, “The next time I am here in this church, I
will dedicate your baby.” Being perhaps a little cynical, as I sat on the
platform, I thought to myself, (which of course the congregation would not know)
“That wasn’t the wisest thing to say. The invitation for him to come and speak
is in my prerogative and gift. I might
never ask the man to come back again.” End of my thought. To be honest I never gave
the prayer and his remark another thought.
Ten months or so later the lady came to me, now
having given birth and asked me to dedicate her baby. My answer was, “Of course
I will, bring the baby and family next week Sunday, we are dedicating a lot of
babies then.” To tell you the truth, I had not remembered the prayer and
“prophetic” word of Dr Coker. The lady, baby and family lined up with lots of
other families and their newly born offspring. I began to move along the line
and pray for each one.
That Sunday too, we also had a special speaker. It was
not Doctor Coker. I finally arrived at the lady in question. I was about to
take the baby in my arms when the door at the back of the Newcourt auditorium opened
and in walked – yes, you guessed it - Doctor Coker. It was almost the end of
our meeting time together. As I saw his face, immediately I remembered his
prayer and prophetic word. I asked the congregation if we could pause for a
moment or to , as I wanted to question the man who had just walked in.
I asked Doctor
Coker, “What are you doing here?” He answered, “Well! I had a few hours to kill
and did not want to spend it at Heathrow as my flight to Nigeria is late
tonight. I have been at a conference in Europe. Your speaker is a friend of mine and I knew
that he was with you today. So, I have come to see him.” I then answered him,
“As you came through the door, I remembered your prayer and prophetic word that
you gave to this woman the last time you were here. I believe you should join
us on the platform and dedicate her baby, which he duly did.
I was at the said baby’s wedding recently, and I asked
the Mother, if she remembered the circumstances surrounding her son’s birth and
dedication. “How could I possibly forget,” she said animatedly. Great coincidence, I guess. But personally, I
hardly think so.
My friend’s response to the details above was, “The anecdote
you give is certainly a remarkable story. The reason stories like this are so
remarkable is because they very rarely happen. If “miracles” and answers to
prayer like this were something of a banality, it wouldn’t have stuck in anybody’s
mind. Sorry to be a wet blanket, but such is the reality of everyday life.”
By the way, a “Banality”
refers to the fact or condition of being unoriginal or commonplace.
Dictionaries offer synonyms to “banality” with words like: triteness,
predictability, staleness, unimaginative, lack of
originality, lack of inspiration, prosaicness dullness or even ordinariness.
Of course, my friend did not answer the question, “Is this
an answer to prayer or not?”
The thing is; my friend says they “rarely happen.” It is not rare. For those who know God it is
common, and, yes, sure, some of the more complex answer do stand out in your
mind, but there are so many, if you will, smaller answers to prayer that it
would take me a long time to recite. I would need the right mental prod to
recall them all.
Just for fun though I will tell you another of those “rare
stories” that I really don’t think are rare.
When I moved to London, I often did not have very much
money. I had agreed and signed a form to
say that my two children at the time (I ultimately had three), could attend a
school outing. It was only £5.00 each
child. The day came when the money had
to be paid and Dad really did not have the afore mentioned and committed
£10.00. My young children were very
agitated, and were just about to go to school on the final day for the school
receipt of the £5.00 each.
What to do?
It is very hard to reason with young children who have a set
approach in which their Dad is supposed to be compliant. So, it went a bit like this:
Me: “I am sorry kids, but I don’t have the money. I will
come and explain to your teacher. I will come in with you to the class this
morning.”
Children: (Dresses ready, coats on waiting for Dad to take
them to school.) “No Dad! That is terrible! That is embarrassing! Just give us
the money.
Me: Err!! but I really don’t have it and I don’t know what
to do! (It is amazing how that kind of
answer does not work – especially with young children.)
Children: “Dad, you signed the form. You said we could go. Just
pay the money.
Me: “I know I signed the form. I thought I would have the
money. I am not very sensible. Let me come and see if I can pay it all a little
bit at a time.
Children: “No Dad! That’s a terrible Idea. It’s embarrassing.
We do not want you to embarrass us. Just give us the money.”
Me: (Wondering frantically with silent screaming thoughts)
“How do I give them £10.00 when I do not have £10.00. Even the bank account is
overdrawn. Oh, dear! These children thought they had a bad Dad! So:- “I know
children, let’s pray.”
With not very good grace they both bow their heads and their
dad prays.
Me: “Father, I know I have signed a form to say I will pay
today, but you know I don’t have the £10.00. My children are very cross with me
and I have not been very sensible. Now, I don’t know what to do. Please could
you help me somehow. Thank you for hearing me.
Amen.”
The children offered a grudging, “ Amen”.
Before they can say anything else, I say, “OK! Let’s go to
school.” I hastily head out down our side corridor to our side door. We never
ever use the front door. I open the side door and the biggest gust of wind
blows in the largest pile of leaves I have ever seen. That phenomena had never happened before and
has never happened since. I say to the
Children, “Hang on! I can’t leave this pile of leaves for your mother.” I rush
back in and get the dustpan and brush, still not wanting any further
conversation with the children. I start to sweep up and then deliver said leaves
back to our bin. I think it was the
second sweep when I noticed in the pile of leaves something that did not look
like leaves at all. I put in my hand to extricate the “non-leaf item” and pull
out - a £10.00 note.
My children were very impressed, and let me tell
you, so was I. A coincidence? Well, let me keep praying for coincidences
then!
Adrian Hawkes
Adrianhawkes.Blogspot.co.uk
W. 1351
