A Father's Diligence; A Son's Redemption

As most of you know, in July, 2011, I challenged our church people to put to paper seven miracles they would like God to do for them. I then asked them to pray throughout the upcoming year concerning those miracles. On Sunday, August 5, 2012, we spent our Sunday Morning listening to testimony after testimony of miracles that God had performed. In fact, the testimonies lasted for an hour and a half!  Over the next few days I want to share some of those miracles with you. It is not that the ones I share are more important that others, but I just felt impressed to share these.

For almost twenty years, almost every time I asked for prayer requests, whether in our corporate worship services or in small group meetings, Charles Wooten would say, "Remember my children." He was referring to some of his children who had strayed from their relationship with the Lord. Occasionally, he would say, "Remember my children to be saved." I have heard that request almost twice a week for nineteen years, but I know he has made that request and prayed for the salvation of his children for many more years than that. You see, Charles is in his nineties.

On Wednesday, August 1, 2012, Charles came to our weekly Wednesday morning Bible Study, and he smiled and said, "I have something I need to tell you. Frank (that's one of his sons) got saved yesterday!" Frank had called his dad and told him that the day before, a young lady was talking to Frank and asked him to pray for her. Frank told his dad, "I knew I wasn't saved and I couldn't pray for her until I prayed for myself." So before he prayed for the young lady, Frank asked Jesus into his heart! The answer to a decades-long prayer request!

But that is not the end of the story. Charles told me that story on Wednesday. The next day, Thursday, Charles received a phone call and Frank had a massive heart attack and was in the hospital unconscious. On Friday, Frank passed from this world, but as a result of that prayer on Tuesday, he entered into an eternal home prepared by the Master!

Now Frank, Charles, nor any of us had any idea what would happen on Thursday. But God did! And I am convinced, that because of His great love, He sent a little girl to ask Frank to pray for her. God is always reaching out to us, always trying to make every effort to bring salvation into our life.

So Charles has experienced one of those amazing Christian contradictions. While he is sad over the loss of Frank, he also rejoices because he knows Frank is now in the presence of Jesus...all because a little girl wanted prayer (and a diligent Father kept praying for his children)!

Never quit praying. Never quit trusting. Keep believing. While you may not see God's answer this moment, who know's what might happen?