A Remarkable Prayer And Its Answer.
A lady, who had led for many years a life of faith, caring for orphans
and invalids, was led one day in thought to wish that she might devote
all her money to the work of the Lord, and use it specially for one
branch of his service which few had ever entered. She possessed only a
thousand dollars; and not knowing whether the thought was her own and
therefore rash, or whether it came from the Lord, she asked the Lord in
prayer, that if the thought was from _Him_ "it might be continually
before me; if it were not, that I might cease to think of the matter."
"It was kept before me as a privilege, to help me realize a greater
personal nearness to God as my Father. It was a very important matter,
and fearing a mistake, I requested a sign. I asked God, if he wished me
to give the money, (which we held at His disposal,) that _He_ would send
me _one dollar,_ (no more, no less,) from some individual with whom I
had no acquaintance. About three weeks after my request, I attended a
prayer-meeting, where about a dozen ladies were gathered. After the
meeting, an elderly lady I had never seen before, put something in my
hand saying, '_You will not be offended, dear, will you?_' When I looked
at the money, I found that it _was just one dollar_, my token. I
exclaimed, mentally, dear Lord, do not let me ever doubt thee again. I
afterwards asked the lady why she gave me the dollar. She said, 'Before
I went to the prayer-meeting, I felt that I ought to take a dollar with
me, and when I saw you, I felt that you were the one I should give it
to.'"
"Nearly five years have passed since then, when I gave all, and my purse
has never been empty. I have been constantly occupied in work of love,
and my Father has sweetly cared for me in every respect."
This lady in her faith work has had under her constant care as many as
twenty-two helpless invalids, of utter poverty, yet prayer has always
brought them needed supplies, and the Lord has kept them.