When I was a boy my dad taught me how to show people the way to heaven using a chain of verses in the book of Romans. He encouraged me in the habit of carrying a pocket-sized copy of the New Testament with me every day so I would be ready to explain the simple gospel story at a moment’s notice. So every day for years when I dress I put my wallet in one hip pocket and my New Testament in the other.
One day in our first year of marriage I made the mistake of doing my own laundry. I forgot to check my pockets and washed and dried a pair of pants with my beautiful leather testament in the pocket. It was ruined. I stood in the basement in front of the dryer with the bible in my hand and cried. Somehow word about what had happened reached my parents.
About a week later a small package arrived. It was a beautiful leather-bound pocket testament, nicer than the one I ruined. I called home to thank my parents. Dad answered the phone.
“Dad, you didn’t have to buy me a new Bible,” I said.
“I didn’t. Your little brother Nathan bought that Bible for you with his own money.”
Nathan was only eleven or twelve years old at the time.
“Where did he get that much money?” I asked.
“He used some paper route money that he had been saving for a new ball glove.”
“What made him do that?”
“When he heard that you cried when you ruined your Bible, he cried and asked me to take him to the Christian book store. When he got there he bought the nicest one they make. It cost him every penny he had.”
Dad said; “Nate, what about your ball glove?” Nate answered; “I’ll just pray for God to provide one for me.” When I heard that I cried again.
If you know God you know that is not the end of the story. A few days later my brother ?in-law Jim walked in the door and said; “Hi guys, could anybody here use a good ball glove?” The glove was much nicer than what he could have bought with the money he saved. Jim had no way of knowing that Nathan was praying for a ball glove, but God did.
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)