Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Three Wishes

Recently my 15 yr. old granddaughter, Meghan and 16 yr. old grandson, Dalton, were asked to team teach their Sunday School class. Valerie and I slipped into the back of the classroom to listen to the kids teach. We were very impressed with the way these young teens took the Scripture and made it personal and relevant for their peers. It brought tears to my eyes to hear my grandchildren share God's Word and speak with personal assurance of God's role in their lives.

To illustrate a point, Meghan shared an experience she had when she was about 10 years old. She had been watching a cartoon at my home about a young girl that was given any three wishes she wanted. The cartoon was still on Meghan's mind as I was driving her home. "I know what you would wish if you had three wishes," Meghan blurted out to me. "I know you would wish for Opa to come back," she continued before I could comment. "No, I don't think so," I responded. "As much as I miss opa, I would never want him to have to come back from his wonderful home with Jesus. Instead, my first wish would be that all our family can be together with Opa in heaven someday."

Meghan sat quietly for a few minutes and then she barely whispered, "I know what my three wishes would be." Can you share them with me?" I asked. "First, I would wish that we would have the money to buy some oil so we can have heat in our house," she volunteered. "Second, I would wish that my mom could buy some grocieries so she could make us meals, and third, I would wish for blinds on our windows so my brother, sister, and me wouldn't be scared at night when mon and dad are at work." My heart felt like it was being crushed as I heard the wishes of this child who should never have to be concerned with these necessities of life.

Before Meghan left the car, I prayed with her that God would answer her prayers and meet the needs of their family. I cried and prayed all the way home. I knew the kids had been coming home from school and sitting around the oven in order to stay warm. At night they dreaded going to their cold bedrooms. Even though their dad had recently found employment again, they were too far behind to buy oil any time soon. It was going to take a miracle for Meghan's prayers to be answered.

As Meghan said to the young people in her class, "we serve the God of miracles." Within a few days the answers started coming. Her grandparents in California called the oil company and had them fill the tank. Someone sent Sandra a generous gift card to Costco as well as had Swan's deliver some of their products to their home. To everyone's surprise, Sears called and said they had decided to make right the custom-made blinds which had ended up the wrong size; although, months earlier they had insisted it was not their fault and they would not cover the expenses to fix them. Meghan and I hadn't told anyone about her prayer request but God had answered all three wishes in about a week.

Dalton took the floor in the Sunday School class and asked if any of the young people would like to share what they needed God to do in their lives. As the teenagers were giving their request I couldn't get a verse in Isaiah out of my mind:
"I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers." (Isaiah 65:24 NLT) My heart was filled with thanksgiving as I was reminded how God had heard the heart's cry of a 10 year old and today as a young teenager she was assuring her peers that He was there for them also.

Valerie and I slipped out of the classroom with a prayer on our hearts that each of these young people would be confident to pray as David did: "You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you for you will answer me." (Psalm 86:5-7 NIV) Yes, Meghan and Dalton, we do serve a God of miracles and it is awesome that you have learned this truth at a young age.