The Mystery Of God's Timing
This reminds me of the story I read about Roger Sims, a hitchhiker making his way home from military service, still wearing his army uniform. He had his suitcase in tow and was at last picked up by a man driving a new black Cadillac. The date was May 7.
The well-dressed, nice-looking man said to him when he piled into the car,
“Where are you headed?” As they pulled away from the side of the road, the man introduced himself as Mr. Hanover, a fifty-something businessman from Chicago. Roger, a Christian, kept feeling a compulsion to witness to the man. He did, and to his surprise, the man pulled over and prayed to receive Jesus Christ. He said to Roger, “This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.”
Five years later, after marrying and having a little boy, Roger came across Mr. Hanover’s business card. Since he was heading to Chicago on a trip, he decided to look up the fellow with whom he had prayed five years before. Once in the city, he went to Hanover Enterprises and was told it was impossible to see Mr. Hanover, but that his wife was available. As she approached Roger, Mrs. Hanover seemed confused by his wanting to see her husband. The conversation that followed was astounding to Roger.
“You knew my husband?” Mrs. Hanover asked, wanting to know more. Roger told how when he was hitchhiking home after his military service, her husband had given him a ride.
“Can you tell me exactly when that was?” she asked.
“Yes, it was May seventh, the day I was discharged from the army five years ago.” Trying to maintain her composure, Mrs. Hanover asked if something happened that would bring him back after all these years to see her husband. Roger hesitated. “Well, yes, Mrs. Hanover. I explained the gospel to your husband, and he pulled over to the side of the road and gave his life to Christ. He told me it was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him.”
Mrs. Hanover covered her face with her hands and sobbed. “I prayed for my husband’s salvation for years. And I believed God would save him,” she managed.
“Where is your husband now, Mrs. Hanover?” asked Roger.
“He’s dead.” She wept again, struggling to speak. “He had an accident that day, evidently after he let you out of the car. He never came home. I thought God hadn’t kept His promise.” Speaking between sobs, she added, “I stopped living for God five years ago because I thought He hadn’t kept His Word!”3
There are times in our life when we don’t know the direct outcome of our prayers, and the enemy wants us to think that God didn’t hear us or didn’t care. This is never the case, of course, even if we don’t see immediate answers or the outcomes we anticipate.
