Once, I asked God for a million dollars.
“There’s not enough money to pay the bills,” my mother scolded, “let alone buy you a new bathing suit.” I was ten years old at the time. I sat on the front porch and prayed, tears rolling down my face—not for a new bathing suit, but for cold hard cash. I asked God to give my mom a million dollars so she could pay her bills. I’m sure the popular television show The Millionaire inspired my prayer, but this was my first intercessory prayer.
I figured the money would fix my mom’s problems. Then she’d be happy, and all would be well. I prayed as only a child could pray—with complete confidence that God looked down from the clouds and heard my prayer. But the man in the black suit representing the mysterious benefactor, Mr. Tipton, never rang the doorbell and handed my mom a check from his zippered case.
I think it’s remarkable I asked God for such an amount, even if the inspiration did come from a television show. I also don’t recall any disappointment over God not giving my mom the million dollars. My memories are only of praying the prayer and then playing baseball with friends in a park afterward.
But God honored my prayer that day, as Paul said He would. An all-knowing God knew I was really asking for security and my mother’s love. He lifted my burden, and that’s all I know.
I still run to God for financial needs. But as an adult, I’ve never forgotten that an all-knowing God will honor my petitions if I come in humility and child-like faith. In return, I always receive more than I could ever ask or think.
When you have a need, ask God in faith to supply it. Then, believe He will.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Christine Lind is a Christian woman who is a Mary at heart, but who invariably finds herself acting more like the other sister, Martha. She’s a writer and author, having won the short list, Eric Hoffer Awards for Flash Fiction, with A Man with a Millstone Around His Neck, published in Best New Writing 2014. She’s also an Elite Life Coach, trained Stephen Minister, and creator of “An Ideal Life,” www.christinelind.com—a website for Christian women where she writes inspirational fiction and non-fiction. Chistine lives in the Midwest with her home-builder husband, three grown adult children, a tribe of grandchildren, and an annoying Himalayan cat named George.