161. THE CASE OF THE LOST UMBRELLA – IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD?

(The Faith Forum Series – Batch 3)

Two days ago, for what felt like the umpteenth time, I forgot my umbrella in a taxi, again. I couldn’t believe it.

“Again?” I said to myself. Quite frankly, I was tired of buying and losing umbrellas that either embarrassed me in public by turning in the direction of the wind before dying a sure death or forgetting them in vehicles.

For the first time though, I thought of praying about it and asked God to help me get it back. I knew that the odds were against me and that getting it back was like hoping to recover a needle in a haystack.

Yet in faith, knowing God’s power and having experienced it in the past, I said:

• “Lord, I know it is just an umbrella and I could buy another one but I know that nothing is too hard for you to do. Please bring the umbrella I lost, back to me. I remember what you did when I forgot the HC Library book in a vehicle and when I desperately prayed that you would work a miracle to recover it, how you miraculously led a Policeman to sit right in the seat of the same vehicle, to see the book, to open it, recognize that it was stamped with the official HC Library stamp, personally travel to the HC Library, climb the steps of the building, enter the Library area on the third floor and return it.”

In that book situation which had occurred about four (4) years prior, I had returned to the Library to confess that I had lost the book and to find out how much it would cost me to replace it. To my utter amazement, the Library Receptionist, beaming from ear to ear, produced the book and before I could finish explaining that I had negligently forgotten it in a vehicle, said something to the effect of, “I know!”

She had explained, as I stood in shock, that a Policeman had found the book and personally returned it to the Library and all I could say was, “Thank you Lord!” even as I shared my testimony with the lady, of how God had done the impossible and answered my prayer.

This was why, although the loss of an umbrella could be considered to be a minute problem, I knew it was the same God today as was back then and believed that nothing was too little a prayer to pray to him about.

Nevertheless, I forgot all about the lost umbrella and yesterday during my lunch break, I purchased another umbrella from the store I had purchased the last three or four before. As I was about to pay for yet another one, I told the Cashier that I was tired of buying umbrellas and relayed my story of how I had left the last one in a vehicle again!

She sympathized with me, even as she collected my money and said she too had had similar experiences with umbrellas.

When I returned to work, the Policeman standing guard at the gate jokingly remarked that I was showing off with my brand new umbrella. On my way out to get the replacement, I had lamented to him as well, that I had again left the previous one in a vehicle and was going to buy another.

Yesterday evening though, upon leaving work and making my way to the Taxi Stand some distance away, I stopped abruptly, as a massive public bus which was within inches of me, decided to use the time I was about to cross the road, to make a left turn out of the terminal, which was parallel to the Taxi Stand.

Lo and behold and to my shock, in the middle of the bend and blocking my path, the man behind the wheel of the bus began to speak to me. I wondered why, as all I could focus on was how the massive bus was taking up so much space and needed to move on to clear the way.

I finally understood what he was saying though. He had stated with a sense of humour, “I have an umbrella for somebody.” Upon hearing this pronouncement, my eyes narrowed, as I took a closer look at the Driver of the bus. It dawned on me then, that he did look kind of familiar. “Could it be?” I thought to myself.

“Are you…are you the man who was driving the taxi yesterday morning?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes!” He said.

“You were playing Christian music right?” I asked, seeking more confirmation as I remembered how another passenger and I had sang along to the beautiful Christian songs he had played in his vehicle on that morning.

“Yes!” He answered.

He parked the bus in the terminal while I waited and as promised, returned the lost umbrella to me, which was neatly folded (maybe even better than I had left it).

In response, I lifted the umbrella in the air (the several people traversing the public area probably thought I was mad) and said, “Thank you Jesus!”

I gave my testimony to the bus Driver of how God had answered my prayer, which the average person may not have thought was big enough to pray to him about. I told him that he was using this as a lesson to me, to remind me that he was in control, no matter what and that he was hearing my prayers.

I also recounted my experience with the library book to the gentleman because it was a perfect opportunity to give my God some more glory.

Once again and in response to my prayer, he had worked a miracle.

Now, I have two umbrellas and it reminds me of Abraham and Sarah’s story. One umbrella was acquired through faithlessness (like Ishmael) and the other was returned through faith (like Isaac).

When I got home that evening, I lined the umbrellas side by side and took a photograph because I like to keep mementos of what God did in my life.

(Written on 22nd February, 2018)