When the water bottle isn't in the box....

Not my usually lighthearted post today.  


Today in Sunday School we were talking about how God works in our lives.  Our Sunday School teacher had some things that needed straightening out and had been working on them diligently getting no results.  Wednesday night at church he asked for prayer concerning these issues and Sunday morning relayed the story of how things worked out at the very last possible minute, something that could have only been done by divine intervention.  He then related to us the story of Helen Roseveare, doctor/missionary to Zaire, Africa.  

Story typed mostly from article
She delivered a premature baby ........the mother died and they were left with a tiny baby and a two year old daughter.  She knew it would be difficult keeping the baby alive as they had no incubator and no special feeding facilities and that they would need to keep the baby warm.  There was only one hot water bottle in their box of supplies and it burst when it was being filled with hot water.  Helen instructed the student mid wife to put the baby as near the fire as would be safe and to sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free of drafts.  

The following day, she had prayer time with the orphans as she regularly did and explained to them the situation with the baby and the water bottle and how grieved the two year old sister was.  A ten year old girl asked if she could pray for the two and prayed this prayer....."please God, send us a water bottle.  It'll be no good tomorrow, God, the baby will be dead; so please send it this afternoon.....and please send a dolly for the little girl so she will know You love her."  Helen did not know what to say, as she really didn't think it was possible for these requests to be filled.....a parcel would have to arrive from her homeland that day and it would have to contain a hot water bottle!  As they lived on the equator she doubted that would happen.

Halfway through the afternoon, she got a message that there was a car at her front door.  By the time she reached home, the car had gone, but there, on the veranda, was a large parcel!  She sent for the orphanage children.  Together they pulled off the string and unwrapped the package.  All eyes were focused on the large box.  Helen lifted out several items that were much needed.  As she got close to the bottom, she felt .......could it be?.....yes, a hot water bottle!  Helen cried.....she had not truly believed and she had not asked God to send it.  But the little ten year old girl rushed forward, crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly too!"  And from the bottom of the box she pulled out a small doll.  The little girl's eyes shone.  She had never doubted that God would answer her prayer.

That parcel had been on the way for five months, packed by Helen's former Sunday School class,  someone had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator.  One of the girls had put in a dolly.......five months earlier in answer to the believing prayer of a ten year old to bring it "that afternoon".  

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

This is a truly wonderful story about the faith of a child and how God is faithful to answer prayers.


But sometimes there is no hot water bottle in the box......


and my question is what do we do then?  What if the child we love so much dies?  What if the sick person or loved one we have prayed to be healed dies?  What if our wayward child doesn't change, but we see other's children changing all around?  What if the marriage actually does fail?  What if our businesses fail or our jobs go away?  What if terrible tragedies happen?  What then?  

Is God still answering prayers?  Is He still the same sovereign God we proclaim when times are good?  Will we accept whatever He sends and remain faithful to Him?

King David was greatly loved by God, but when he sinned with Bathsheba and killed her husband to cover up that sin, God did not spare the child from that union.  While the child was lying sick and dying, David mourned and prayed diligently for God to heal him......not eating or drinking but only praying and weeping.  The child died.  When the servants came in to tell the king that his child had died, King David got up bathed, changed his clothes and went into the house of God and worshipped, then he ate.  The servants were shocked and asked how this could be.  King David's answer was this....."while the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead.  Why should I fast?  Can I bring him back again?  I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."  Even though David knew that God had chosen to take his child, he worshipped.  He grieved as one who has hope, because he knew that he would one day be reunited with his son.  His faith in the God he loved and trusted was still the same and God's love for David was still the same.  


I hope I will remain faithful even when the "box" doesn't have what I need or want.  I hope I will pray as Habakkuk did........
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines, 
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my
salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength


Oh, Lord keep us faithful when we can't see the why's of things.  Give us patience to wait on Your timing and give us wisdom to know Your ways are perfect.


Just some thoughts from a great lesson.  
Because really,  the hot water bottle is not always in the box and really?????  I'm most likely not to have faith as big as a mustard seed.  Sometimes I'm praying for an outcome that I don't think will come.  That is a true confession.