In God's Timing

Planting seeds has been the topic over the last couple of posts. Today I want to share a prayer I had to not only plant seeds, but reap the harvest. Everything is in God’s timing. I understand that now.

            Bibles were not to be found in my grandmother’s home. I never remember her mentioning the Bible and rarely heard her utter God’s name. Saying this seems to deliver a negative picture of a woman I dearly loved. For most of my life, it wasn’t an issue. I didn’t know God either. 

            As I came to Christ things changed. The last four years of my grandmother’s life, I prayed specifically that I would be the one to plant the seeds of salvation that would bring my grandmother to Christ. Every time I mentioned anything remotely about faith or Jesus, she would quickly change the subject or ignore me all together.

            When my grandmother broke her hip at 96 ½ years old, I got desperate in my prayers, begging God to give me the words to soften her heart. I knew the transition from her beloved home to a nursing home had been hard on her. We had been told that her chances of survival were a matter of months.

            Every day I would take grandmother her favorite food, a Bojangle’s biscuit. After she ate it, I would do her hair and put a little makeup on her. Being bedridden didn’t change the fact that she wanted to look good lying there. On that particular morning, I went to the nursing home determined to share scriptures. I decided this would be the day I would share my faith testimony with her.

            After I got her settled, I moved my chair closer to her. I could feel a resignation, but just as I released a huge sigh to begin my rehearsed speech, a woman walked by grandmother’s room and waved at us. She had on a dark blue suit and was pushing a patient in a wheelchair. Her hair was pulled back tight and wound into a bun.

            When I looked back at grandmother, her eyes were tightly shut. An overwhelming sense of dejection filled me. For the first time in my life, I felt abandoned by God. Why wouldn’t He give me this opportunity to lead my grandmother to faith?

            “Hey, are you guys new here?” 

            A voice permeated my internal raging, and I looked up at the woman in the blue suit. Before I could respond, my grandmother opened her eyes, smiled, and said, “Please come in.”

            The woman kept an intent look at grandmother as she edged closer, picking up her hand, and holding it close as she spoke. “We haven’t met before, have we? I’m here every Tuesday to preach. You need to come down. We have a real good time. What’s your name, young lady?”

            Grandmother beamed. “Anne.”

            “Well, Ms. Anne, do you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?”

            Tears flowed down my cheeks.

            My grandmother leaned closer and said, “I believe in Jesus.”

            They continued to dialog about faith and salvation. And I clearly felt a voice saying, “See, My child, I saved this moment just for you. You have planted seeds of love for years. You did not get this harvest, but you got the next best thing . . . you got to witness it.”

            The woman in the blue suit kissed my grandmother on the forehead, wiped tears from her face, and said, “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, I baptize you with your own tears.”

            My grandmother was radiant. She held the woman’s hands and begged her to come back to visit. I felt like I had been a part of something very sacred and holy.

            Working in God’s kingdom.

            Planting seeds.

            Watching the harvest.

            God’s purpose fulfilled in His will and timing.

            My prayers had been answered in ways I could have never fathomed. It was more than perfect. Why should I be surprised?

              

God bless you!!!!