Remarkable Answers to Prayer by Emily Huntington Miller

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 8, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 14.

"Remarkable Answers to Prayer."

By Emily Huntington Miller

THE deacon had been reading aloud, and now he paused, laid the book carefully on his knee, and took out his big bandanna to polish the spectacles that had somehow become blurred before he finished that last narration.

"I declare, Hitty, does seem like getting back to the days of miracles to read of such wonderful answers to prayer coming to folks."

"Yes," said aunt Hitty, slowly, "but I was thinking, after all, it wasn't the answers that were remarkable, so much as the prayers."

"Well, I don' know, most of the prayers ain't specified, but them that be 'pear to be just simple, plain sort of askin'."

"That's just it, Daniel; plain asking has gone out of fashion, and that's the main reason why it seems so remarkable to us when people ask for anything and get it. Why, the Lord Jesus himself set us the example of comparing our heavenly Father to ourselves, and trying to find out how we would act toward our children if we were in his place—only he warned us to make allowance for our being evil; I suppose that means cross and selfish and unreasonable, as we all are sometimes. Now, I leave it to you, Daniel, to say what you'd think if you should read such things as this in the paper—"

" 'Remarkable instance of a father's generosity. Judge Whitaker yesterday received a letter from his daughter, informing him that she and her family were in great distress owing to the recent floods in Missouri, and asking for money to relieve their immediate wants. The father sent the money at once, with assurances of his love; this remarkable case is attested by credible witnesses.'"

"Or how would this sound:—"

" 'Remarkable response to a son's appeal. The young son of Senator Dart, having been taken ill on the continent, and being entirely out of funds, and among strangers, drew upon his father by telegraph, as he had been previously instructed to do in case of any emergency. Wonderful as it may seem, his father honored the draft at once to its full amount.'"

The deacon chuckled a little in a protesting fashion, as if afraid to fully commit himself to a laugh, lest it might not be quite compatible with proper reverence.

"Well, well, Hitty, that does sound sort of ridiculous, but I don't know as we can expect to bring spirituoal things down to a level with business transactions. You see, it makes a difference that we none of us have any claim on the Lord; it's all free grace on his part whether he gives us anything; we don't deserve the least of all his mercies."

"Doesn't seem to me, Daniel, it's a question of deserving; it's a question of what the Lord has promised, and whether he's going to keep his word. There are the promises, and I don't see how they can be any broader or any more positive. Why, just let me read you some."

Aunt Hitty took up the Bible, that opened of its own accord to John, and read:—

" 'If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.' 'Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.' 'Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.'"

"But, Hitty, the Lord was speaking of spiritual blessings then—"

"I don't feel at all sure of that, father. I reckon the Lord knew they were going to be about as poor as men could be, and he put their souls and bodies both into one promise. And he surely was talking about clothes and daily bread when he told them not even to have an anxious thought about such matters; to be satisfied that your Father knoweth that you have such needs ought to satisfy you that he will supply them. And isn't that what Paul says? 'Be careful for nothing, but in everything [everything, you hear, Daniel] with prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God.'"

The deacon nodded, but appeared a trifle annoyed; his wife seemed to be assuming either that he was an unbeliever, or ignorant of the promises.

"Yes, yes, it's all there; I know 'em by heart, and dozens more—"

"Well, then, father, if we know 'em, and if we believe the Lord really meant 'em, doesn't it sound sort of dishonoring for us to talk about its being a remarkable thing for him to keep his word? Looks as if we hadn't really expected him to."

"Does so, Hitty. I suppose if you come right down to taking the bare promises, the way children do, there couldn't be such a thing as a remarkable answer to prayer; we should know that all our prayers were answered. There's that case of the man that got money in a letter from England the very day he went to the Lord in such distress about his note coming due. That's pretty much like young Willis Dart drawing on his father. Of course, when he'd told him to draw, he'd take care there was something to meet the draft; and the Lord not only told his child to draw on him, but he knew just when he was going to do it, so he had plenty of time to get the money over. The thing that kind of stumbles me is to know how far we ought to leave things to the Lord."

"Seems to me that's pretty clear, Daniel. I always think the Bible doctrine is, 'Do your best, but don't worry. Your Father will either direct and bless your effort, or he will find some better way and bring about everything that is best for you.' So it leaves us to do all we can, with all the wisdom we have, without any worry or anxiety about the way things are coming out. We can ask to have our judgment enlightened, and our effort directed, and expect it will be so. When we come to the end of our wisdom, we can ask for more with perfect confidence, and when we actually come to the place where we cannot take another step forward, we can stand still and see the salvation of God. That's about the way it looks to me."

"That's according to Scripter, Hitty. It's working out your own salvation by means of God working in you to will and to do. That's a very instructive book, though, and, after all, 'tis remarkable that the Lord should ever have said, 'Ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.'"

" 'Behold,' said Aunt Hitty, softly, 'what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' 'He that spared not his own Son, but freely gave him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?'"