This story 1st appeared as a devotional in the web based devotions, www.christiandevotions.us on July 14, 2011
Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3 NAS
When I was a child, my parents served as missionaries in Africa – in the country of Nigeria. At one point while they were there, chicken pox outbreak ravaged the area where we lived. On a particular Wednesday night, the missionaries were about to meet for their weekly prayer meeting. My father was a doctor and he had just left the bedside of a little boy who died from Chicken Pox. Dad's struggle to slowdown the spread of Chicken pox, while healing those who suffered was all that was on his mind.
Chicken pox is spread through droplets which float through the air and my father knew a good rain would wash down the floating droplets. So he prayed for rain at the weekly prayer meeting....but there was a problem with his prayer.
Nigeria, like so many other tropical countries has only two seasons - rainy and dry. For six months of the year, it rains at least once a day and for the other six months, it doesn't. This chicken pox outbreak was in the middle of dry season. My father was so focused on the problem, he momentarily forgot how unreasonable his prayer request was.
After the prayer meeting, some of his fellow missionaries teased him about his prayer. But that night while they slept, a rare and strong storm blew up in the middle of the dry season. The storm was so fierce, part of hospital's tin roof blew off. The chicken pox outbreak died down.
My father would tell you from his experience this scripture is true, even under the most unlikely circumstances.
In Jeremiah, God tells us to call to Him and He will answer. My son once told me he knew "God's phone number" -- it was Jeremiah 33:3. God has a phone number and unlike us, His line is never busy when we call. We never have to leave a message. Although it may sometimes feel like we are leaving a message and waiting for Him to get back with us, we are not. God hears us when we pray. My father would tell you from his experience this scripture is true, even under the most unlikely circumstances.
Never doubt the power of God. Bring your needs to Him and present them at His feet.
