"All men, Socrates, who have any degree of right feeling at the beginning of
every enterprise, whether small or great, always call upon God." (Plato C.
428-348 B.C.)
This week, a personal testimony as to the power of prayer. After my cancer bout
18 months ago Vera and I decided to put our names on the waiting list for a
retirement unit. Although I have a clean bill of health, major surgery has left
me less able to look after a large house and 1½ acres of gardens. At 74 years of
age things don't get any easier.
In late July I heard that a unit was to become available although we were some
way down the waiting list. Yet I knew that it was for us and never lost faith -
it was the subject of our daily prayers. Those prayers were finally answered
when we were offered the unit 3 weeks ago. So what do you do about selling a
property in a quiet real estate market? A house further along the street had
been listed for 18 months. You pray about it, because unless we could sell the
house we could not accept the unit. Our local agent (their slogan is 'Nobody
does it better') did some limited promotion. The third party to view the
property signed a contract - this only after one week. So, on October 7th we
will downsize and move in to our unit.
Nobody?? I must inform the agent that God does it better.
I have always been intrigued by verse 20 in Matthew 17 that tells us that if we
have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can say to this mountain, 'Move from
here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for us. The true
implication of that statement managed to escape me, perhaps it was symbolic and
had no literal meaning. But Jesus was criticizing His disciples because He knew
that such a high level of faith was beyond them, and beyond us. I can see Mt.
Wellington through my window but I know that if I say to that mountain 'move
from there to somewhere else' nothing will happen, I don't have the faith to
believe that it will.
I'm not in the mountain moving business, but I do know that I have sufficient
faith to put my trust in God to direct my path and provide for me - if I go to
Him. As George Muller said: "The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and
the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety."
Some parts of Australia are suffering from drought. A country town arranged a
special church service to pray for drought-breaking rain. Only one little girl
took her umbrella.
Have a good week - expect a miracle.
Pastor Ron w4w@keypoint.com.au
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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