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"The
hairs of your head are all numbered." -- Luke 12:7 |
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"Are
not two sparrows sold for a farthing?" -- Matt. 10:29 |
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These scripture
passages passed through my mind as I watched the sparrows on the lawn; and
later on, when I unfastened the long plaits of a friend's hair. |
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"Just
think of it," I said, as she shook out the long, wavy masses over her
shoulders, "God counts all these!" Yes, and God is very accurate,
too, when it comes to counting money. And then memory brought the following
incident to mind: |
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The
continental post had just come in and Edward and Emily Newton were poring
over the contents of their many letters, for Mr. Newton was an active,
aggressive worker among the Italian and French-speaking people. Presently
Mrs. Newton let a letter fall from her hands, exclaiming: |
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"Edward!
whatever shall we do? The rents of two halls are due, and Lorenzo's salary
must be paid without delay, and we want [lack] a clear fifty pounds." |
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"What
shall we do, my dear?" said Mr. Newton, looking up from his letters with
shining eyes, for they told of progress in the work and of souls saved.
"We must do what we always have done, go to our Father and Divine
Banker. The silver and gold are His. He has never failed us yet." |
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"But,
Edward, the money ought to go at once, today; and we have not a penny of
it." |
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"Well,"
he answered, calmly, "if it must go today, He will send it today,"
and then he added slowly, "'He that spared not His own Son . . . how
shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.' Come, dear, let us go
to our room, and we will ask our Father to send it without delay. And, of course,
we shall get the right amount, for you must remember that God knows how to
count." |
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They were
guests in a little country house, and I also was in the house at the same
time. |
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Having reached
their long, low bedroom, the two windows of which looked out upon the lawn,
they closed the door and went into the presence chamber of their
Father-Banker to plead for – just fifty pounds! |
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Across the
passage was another room and at the same hour was kneeling a little old lady
-- their hostess. A quaint, little old lady she was, who wore short
petticoats, and caps like those of a Quakeress, with the soft, white hair
drawn down on each side of her beautiful old face. She was always simply, not
to say poorly, dressed. "The less for self, the more for God," was
her life-long motto. Economy was the rule in every detail of her household.
Her daughters were known laughingly to rebel at some of what they thought to
be her "tiresome economies." |
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Today she
was praying, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? Give some help to
those dear servants of Thine now under my roof? Yes, Lord! And how much shall
I give? Fifty pounds? Yes, Lord." |
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"Yes:
the God who counts dictated the exact sum that the two across the landing
were asking for at that very moment! |
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And so her
ever-ready check book was taken out, and a check was written for fifty
pounds. |
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And soon
the dainty little figure was out on the landing listening to sounds from
below. Oh, that was a man's voice, and in prayer, too! And she stood outside
their door and, at the first pause, knocked for admittance. |
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Emily
Newton opened the door. "Come in, dear friend, come in!" |
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"Not
just now, my dear; I only came to give you this; it is from the Lord for your
work," and gently waving off thanks, she determinedly shut the door, and
tripped back to her own room, happy and smiling. |
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"Oh, Edward,
here is the exact sum we have been asking for!" cried Emily. "How
wonderful!" |
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"Very
gracious, dearest; but not so very wonderful, since He is wonderful. You must
not forget that God can count." |
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From: THE
POWER OF PREVAILING PRAYER Compiled by Albert Sims, Fifth Edition, Zondervan
Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, No Date. |