Living and Giving By Faith
by Rita Langeland
In July of 1915, two Christian missionaries were preparing to leave England for South Africa. Rees Howells and his wife Elizabeth had prepared for several years for this moment. They had learned how to walk by faith, trusting to receive from God all of their needs. They knew that if they were to survive and prosper in Africa (in a time before e-mail and cell phones made global communication instantaneous) they had to be able to hear the voice of God and trust Him implicitly for their every provision. They were sitting in the office of Mr. Albert Head, the chairman of the South Africa General Mission. To that moment, God had supplied their needs, but they had prayed for three specific items that they still had not received, rain coats, fountain pens, and watches. They never told a soul about those needs as was their custom, but they were waiting in faith, fully expecting God to provide as He always did.
While they shared breakfast, the Mission chairman asked them, "What kind of watches do you have?" and told them that his son wanted to give them a watch each. He then asked, "Have you prepared for the rainy season in Africa? Have you got good raincoats?" When they said they hadn't, he told them to go and get one each, and wrote down an address on a card saying that they were to get them at his expense. After writing the address, he asked, "Have you seen this kind of fountain pen?" "No," they replied. "You must each take one with you." The three things they had named to the Lord, he named to them!
The next day, they met together again, just hours before they were to launch off for Africa. Mr. Head asked Rees Howells to share a few of his stories of living by faith with his staff. He did so and ended with the story of the watches, raincoats and fountain pens which had happened in that very room the day before. Mr. Head was thrilled. "I prefer this to 1000 pounds sterling," he said, "to know that the Lord can guide me like this in my giving."
(from REES HOWELLS INTERCESSOR by Norman Grubb)
Someone presented a specific request to God. Unaware of that prayer, someone else is led by God to give the the very thing that was prayed for to the very one who had prayed. Coincidence? Certainly not! We serve a God who works with and through His human agents. Over the years I have seen people give generously at the prompting of God, yet they were unaware it was God prompting them. I have also seen people give from a heart they felt certain was inspired by God without being aware of any specific need, only to find out later that their giving was a direct answer to someone's prayer. How pleasing that must be to the Lord! God loves a cheerful giver the Bible tells us (2 Cor. 9:7) and I would confidently say that He loves the faith-filled and Spirit-led giver as well!
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