SAVED FROM A CROCODILE.

   Joan stood at the sink as she washed the dishes after her mother’s birthday party.  Suddenly, she turned as her mother walked into the kitchen,

‘Mum, does God really hear us when we pray?’

’Yes,’ answered Mrs Pearce,’ we prayed at breakfast especially for the Jacksons in Papua New Guinea, and I know God will answer our prayers.’

‘But how?’questioned Joan.  ‘ How can God hear our prayers from Australia, and answer them hundreds of miles away.  And anyway, how would the Jacksons know we prayed for them today?’

‘It is a mystery, dear, but one day we will understand.  We do know that God hears us when we pray.’     ‘I guess so.’

Three weeks later the mailman dropped a letter in the box, and it was post-marked Paua New Guinea.

‘It is from the Jacksons,’ smiled Mrs Pearce, as she tore open the envelope, unfolded the pages, and began to read.  She was so excited and called to Joan, who busily worked on her homework assignment.

‘Come and listen to this good news.’ Joan pushed her chair back as she sensed something special in her mother’s voice.   She hurried into the kitchen. 

‘Listen to what Mr Jackson wrote,’ as she began reading the letter. 

‘I  travelled out in my small canoe with two New Guinea men.  We paddled to the nearby village, when a huge crocodile, almost as long as our canoe, came alongside.  It could easily topple us into the river.  The men tried to push off the crocodile with their paddles, even though these crocs are very strong.  Imagine how we felt.  As the men shouted, suddenly the croc. nudged the boat, turned aside, and glided away.’   

’Oh, just as well,’ said Joan, hugging herself with relief. ‘Poor Mr Jackson and those men. No wonder they were scared,’ as she thought of the huge jaws of the crocodile.

‘Joan, the rest of the story is wonderful.’

‘Read on, Mum, ‘as Joan sensed her mother’s excitement.

    ‘Someone must have been praying for us this day,’ the letter continued.

‘Joan, this letter was written on  20th May, which was my birthday. Do you remember how we especially prayed for the Jacksons, and you wondered how God could answer our prayers so far away. ‘

‘That just shows how God answers our prayers,’ as Joan shook her head in wonder.

‘Joan, many years ago a prayerful man called Oswald Chambers said, ‘ We cannot explain how prayer works, we only know that when we pray God’s wonderful help and power comes on the person for whom we pray.’