Back around 2003 or 2004, I was starting a new business and as many entrepreneurs know, money is tight when you're starting up. Nearly every penny of income and every inch of our home was dedicated to the business.
One day, I was driving to work and my car was on it's last leg. It was sputtering and making all kinds of weird noises and we had no money for repairs, let alone a new car. I was feeling helpless and while I was driving I just said aloud "I don't know if you noticed or not, but we really could use a new car." I was talking to God (Yahweh), although I'm not sure I called him by Name. I wasn't praying. I was just asking for help and complaining, quite honestly - which I'm now ashamed of.
Later, when I returned home, my stepfather called me. He was working as a professional painter and was part of a crew that painted houses - usually a different one each day. He said, "I was at work painting a doctor's house today and you'll never guess what happened!". I wondered. "The doctor's wife came up to me and asked me if I wanted a car or knew anyone who needed a car, so I said yeah I could use a new car!" He was a car collector. He was always restoring old cars and he was thrilled. She had said he should call her husband later for details.
I reflected on my conversation with God earlier and said, "Well that's great but that was my prayer! How did you get it?!" I was part joking; part serious.
He said, "Well I'll give you one of my cars". I laughed and congratulated him and we hung up so he could call the doctor to find out what kind of car it was they were giving him.
A few minutes later, he called me back. "I guess it was for you", he said. I was confused and asked him why. "Because it's not a car", he said, "It's a minivan. I don't need a minivan."
My jaw dropped. What a great feeling to know that God had not only answered my prayer, but he went above and beyond. He knew I didn't just need a car. My third child was about a year old and my young family needed more than a car - we needed a minivan.
Did you even realize God knew about minivans? Would you ever think He would care about something that would seem so petty to Him? Well now you know! He cares, even about the small details. Trust in Him.
Another intriguing point about this experience was that the doctor was from India, perhaps Hindu, proving to me that God can work through anyone, not just Christians. He put it on the heart of the Hindu woman to give a perfectly good vehicle to my stepfather, a complete stranger. The only things wrong with it was it was missing one hubcap! She could have offered it to anyone else on the crew or sold it, but she offered it to him - the one person who would give it to me. That's no coincidence. It's all the work of one mighty and loving God, Yahweh. Halleluyah! ("Praise be to Yah!")
And when praying, do not keep on babbling like the nations. For they think that they shall be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
(Matthew 6:7-8)
Because of this I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you shall eat or drink, or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than the food and the body more than the clothing? Look at the birds of the heaven, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father does feed them. Are you not worth more than they? And which of you by worrying is able to add one cubit to his life’s span? So why do you worry about clothing? Note well the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, and I say to you that even Shelomoh in all his esteem was not dressed like one of these. But if Elohim so clothes the grass of the field, which exists today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more you, O you of little belief? Do not worry then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For all these the nations seek for. And your heavenly Father knows that you need all these. But seek first the reign of Elohim, and His righteousness, and all these shall be added to you. Do not, then, worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow shall have its own worries. Each day has enough evil of itself. (Matthew 6:25-34)
Do you have a testimony you would like to share? I'd love to hear it! Enter it in the comments below. Prayer requests are also welcome.