A FATAL FLOOD

A river was in flood following heavy rain. The authorities warned the people staying near the river that a heavy flood was imminent and exhorted them to vacate their residences immediately and move to a safe camp, carrying only the most essential articles with them. First they sent a truck to carry the people. Most of them escaped in the truck. One person was adamant that he would not follow them. He declared that he had a firm faith in God and was confident that God would save him.

The water from the overflowing river filled the lower areas and covered the roads. A rescue team was sent in a country boat in search of the remaining people to carry them to a safe place. The boatmen rowed along the roads which were now submerged and announced their mission, inviting those trapped in their houses to escape in the boat. The ‘believer’ still refused to enter the boat, repeating that he would continue to stay and pray till God came to save him. The boatmen left with the remaining people.

The river burst its banks and flooded the valley. The overflowing water covered the houses one by one. The believer reached the terrace of his house and raising his hands to the sky, continued his prayer.

The final rescue team surveyed the flood-hit area in a helicopter. They found the lone man on the terrace of his house and lowered a rope to him, shouting through a loudspeaker that he should hold on to the rope for being pulled into the helicopter and thus save himself. But the man was obstinate and adamant. He rejected their requests and refused to be saved. He stayed there, expecting God’s direct intervention to save him. The last team left, abandoning the adamant believer. The floods soon covered his house and he was drowned to death. Reaching heaven, he complained to God that He did not come to save his faithful servant in spite of his fervent prayers. God replied, “Son, I had come to you thrice - first in the truck, then in the boat and finally, in the helicopter. But you foolishly turned down my requests. You wasted the three chances I gave you to save your life.”

A person used to pray every day that he may win the first prize in a lottery. He was very sad as his prayer was not answered for a long time. Once he complained to God for not answering his only prayer. God told him in a dream, “Son, I am ready to grant your wish; but please purchase a lottery ticket first.”

That shows the prerequisite for an answer to our prayers: God wants our participation to perform a miracle in our life. When Jesus wanted to feed the thousands, He asked, “How much bread have you got? Go and see” {Mark 6:38}. He then accepted the boy’s gift of five loaves and two fish and multiplied them miraculously.

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© By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India and Leo. S. John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.

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This is Story No. 193 in this site. Please click ‘Older Posts’ at the bottom of a page to read previous stories and click 'Newer Posts' at the bottom of a page to read newer stories in this site. Please click on a word in the 'Story Themes' to read stories on that theme.