God Really Does Answer Prayer

By George Dalton

Seven years ago my father died after a long illness and went home to be with the lord.  At his funeral I met a cousin that I had not seen since we were boys fifty years ago.  You know how you do when you see someone that you were once close too.  “Give me your phone number; here take down my number.”

My wife and I had a ranch in east Texas, part of which was on four hundred acres of leased land.  We sold all of the cattle and equipment and moved to a large city.  Several large bales of hay were left in the field from the year before and the owner asked me to make sure they were removed.  I contacted a neighboring rancher and asked him if he could help me get rid of the old hay.  We agreed to meet back at the ranch one morning a week after my father’s funeral.  While driving to the ranch, my cell phone rang, and you guessed it: it was my long lost cousin.  His words were, “How are you fixed for cash money.”  I was stunned.  I haven’t seen this man for five decades and the first thing he wants to know is how much money do you have?  I asked, “Why, what do you need?”  He responded, “I need to borrow a thousand dollars today.”  I asked, “Why do you need a thousand dollars today?”  He said, “I am over drawn at the bank and if I don’t get a thousand dollars today I will have checks bouncing all over town.”

I knew right then I was in over my head.  I told him I was on the way to the ranch and would call him as soon as I got back.  As soon as he hung up I thought of Gideon and his fleece.  So I started to pray, “Dear God I don’t know this man anymore.  Is he a drug addict, an alcoholic, a gambler?  Father I don’t know him, but you do.  Please give me a sign telling me if I should give him the money he wants or not.”

Remembering Gideon’s fleece, I drove for a few minutes thinking about how could God give me a sign.  I prayed, ”Father use the old hay.  If Bud charges me to haul off the old hay, I will know that you do not want me to give that man the money.  If he offers to buy the hay for any amount over $5.00 per bale, I will know that you want him to have the money.”

Bud walked around the field and asked me how many bales I had?  I didn’t know so we counted them.  Exactly one hundred bales.  Then he asked me how much I wanted for the hay.  I decided that I wouldn’t say a word because I had made a deal with God just a few miles up the road.  I said, “You tell me what it is worth to you and that is what I will take.”  He walked around the field for a few minutes looking at the bales and then said, “I’ll give you $10.00 a bale.  Is it Ok if I pick them up Saturday?”  Do the math.  I had one hundred bales and he was going to pay $10.00 per bale.

I raced home and told my wife that I needed a check for $1,000.00.  When I told her the story, she immediately agreed that we should take the money to my cousin.  When I delivered the check to him, my cousin, that I only had seen once in fifty years, thanked me then informed me that he had no idea when he would be able to repay the loan.  I told him about my prayer and then said, “I made my deal with God.  If you pay me or don’t pay me, that is between you and God.”

I shook his hand and walked out of the Wal-Mart where he worked, a happy blessed man.  Because I knew I had just witnessed God’s direct answer to an urgent prayer.