Answer to my prayers

1 Peter 3:12b “and his ears are attentive to their prayer.”

This past Sunday was my father’s last Sunday here in Zambia. As usual, I called the taxi, padlocked all the doors and front gate and then drove the taxi to church. After finding our way to our seats, I reached for my handbag to turn off the volume on my phone but it was nowhere to be found. I quickly recalled that I had set it on the hood of the taxi when I was locking up the gate. That meant that it was somewhere outside my gate or on the side of the road near my house. I used a friends phone to call the taxi that had just dropped us moments ago; after calling about 14 times I realized I would need to walk a few blocks to find a taxi to rush me home. As I walked quickly down the road my lips were full of prayer, which I continued until, I reached the front of my house. I got out and surveyed the area….nothing! I continued to pray and looked up and down the street to see if anyone was around who might have seen something. My spirit was drawn to a young man in a maroon shirt about 5 houses down on the opposite side of the road, he was standing talking to someone in a guards uniform. He began walking down the road in my direction and when he got near I called him over.  “Excuse me sir, I was wondering, have you been on this road for long?” He informed me that he had not. I then explained that I had dropped my phone and have not been able to see it anywhere around. I then asked if I could use his phone to call mine and that maybe I would hear in ring from in a bush or something. He hesitated and then stated, “ Well, actually I am the one who has found your phone.” I was excited to hear such news. He then said, “ Well, what are you going to give me for it?” I chuckled and said well all I have is 12 Kwacha (just under $2.50)” He told me, “that amount is too small” I then said to him, “ Well, you know that the phone belongs to me and for you to try to get money from me is corruption and it is not the right thing to do.” I informed him that I could take him to the police station and that I was certain they would make him give e the phone and he would get nothing. At that comment he quickly said bring the money at which I replied let me see the phone. He produced the phone and I produced the money. The exchange was made and I thanked him for being honest and told him that the Lord would surely bless him for choosing to do the right thing. He told me that when he saw me come to the house he turned the phone off and put it back in his pocket. As I began walking back across the street to the taxi driver I stopped and turned and asked the young man where he was going. He stated that he was heading into town, which is where I was going so I told him I would give him a lift. He was quite surprised I must say, as was the driver who had been standing nearby and overheard our entire dialogue. As we drove to town, I again thanked him for his honesty and told him about how I had been praying the whole way to my house, how the Lord had led me to talk to him and how he had answered my prayers. I asked him his name; he told me it was Dave. I asked, “Dave or David? “ to which he responded, “David” I said, Oh, David..what a good name and then talked a little about David in the Bible and asked him if he went to church. He said he goes sometimes, so I asked if he was going just now. He said he wasn’t going to church; he was going to see a friend. I told him that he should come visit my church; I tried getting him to come with me but he said he had a program he needed to attend to. So I gave him my phone number and told him to call me sometime and we will go to church together. The taxi driver missed the turn to where my church meets so we ended up near the main bus station and David and me went our separate ways. I spent my brisk walk back to church praying and thanking God for answering my prayer and just in awe of his goodness and faithfulness to me in spite of me. God is good and his goodness does not depend on us in anyway. I am thankful for this “divine moment” and anticipate getting a call from David one of these days…that is what I will pray for. His heart is soft and the fact that he did the right thing encourages me so much. So, be encouraged, The Lord hears our prayers and answers us and at the same time teaches us how much he is intimately involved in every detail of every day. Each life he as orchestrated and to see how our lives are so beautifully intertwined in a sweet melody to bring his name glory and praise. I stand in awe.