PRAYER IS THE KEY

Today's promise: God's timing is perfect

Prayer is the key

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them they must never give up…

Luke 18:1 NLT

Saved by a Stamp

God's answers to prayers can affect generations to come. In fact, if not for his gracious answers to a prayer offered many years ago, my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren would not know his blessing today.

The story is simple. My cousin Mirea and I wanted to visit friends in America. Sensing that we would not abandon our grand idea, my father sent us on our way with heartfelt prayers for our safety.

Our trip across Europe took several days. Finally we arrived on the western shores of England. But as we prepared to set sail for America, we were told there was a problem with our papers. Officials at the immigration office said Mirea was missing a stamp on a paper that would allow her to leave the country. We would have to stay in England for another week until Mirea's papers could be corrected, they said.

Mirea and I went to the steamship office to ask if we could exchange our tickets for a ship leaving later in the month. The man at the window was glad to make the exchange. He was sure he could resell our berths. People were eager to sail on the maiden voyage of the Titanic.

As we wandered back to the hotel, Mirea and I were disappointed that we had to stay in England. But, when the news reached us a few days later of the sinking of the Titanic, we both began to cry, in sadness for our lost shipmates, but also in relief, realizing how close we had come to death ourselves. God, in his mercy, had answered by father's father's prayer for our safety with something as small as a missing stamp. How good is God!

Elsa Sturit Kint

Adapted from The Prayer Bible Jean E. Syswerda, general editor, Tyndale House Publishers (2003), p 1495.