One Sunday I was busy cleaning up the dining hall following coffee hour after church. A lady came in who I did not recognize. She looked lost and a little confused. I introduced myself and asked if I could help her.
She told me her story. She was in Lebanon for the first time, visiting her sister who had ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Her sister had not been eating or drinking much but for the first time in weeks she had requested something to drink. Specifically, she wanted diet decaf green tea. Being a loving sister, this lady headed out to drive around the unfamiliar town in search of a store. She saw our doors open and decided to stop and see if we, by chance, had any of the needed tea.
“Let me look,” I offered. I dearly wanted to help but I hadn’t remembered seeing any diet tea of any kind on the shelf. The church seldom served tea and the few boxes available were on the bottom shelf. I was about to apologize to the lady when I saw the corner of a box behind some paper cups. A smile lit my face as I pulled the diet decaf green tea out and gave it to this woman.
Matthew 7:7 promises, “Ask and it will be given to you.” I had silently asked but hadn’t believed. Still God supplied the answer for this devoted woman and her dying sister. Why do I sometimes doubt when God is so faithful to answer? Maybe I was looking for the answer in the human world.
Have you ever been surprised that God answered your specific prayer?