God Who Makes All Things Possible

I want to thank God for 2 things: firstly he let me see with my own eyes the wonderful work he has done for my family. Secondly he has given me a certain and sure hope that when I put my trust in him, he’ll deliver personally.

My brother in law was baptized one month ago and passed away last week 14 Jan 2010 at the age of 61. He never remarried even though his wife [my sister passed away 17 years ago.] we were all not surprised as Barbara was the only love in his life and a love beyond this earthly life. But what worried us at that time was his anger with God for this painful loss. How can he see her without being reconciled to God.

17 years ago, I was there when Nativity Charismatic Prayer Group {now known as Burning Bush Prayer Group} ministered and prayed over my sister who was then in the final stage of cancer. While my sister accepted God’s plans for her, my brother in law was a difficult case. He rejected the idea of a loving God. I thought the mission had failed until last week.

Last week, we received the news of his passing. The fact that he had been reading the Bible avidly meant he had reconciled with God and tremendous faith given to him as he personally saw to his own funeral arrangements. He left clear instructions that he wished to have a simple funeral, no obituaries, no wreaths and only personal friends to be informed through short mail service. As he had no children, most monies will be given away to various charities.

Through this testimony I want to share just how amazingly meticulously our God works. He’s a God of ingenuity as he puts all things together. In Isaiah 55:8 - “for my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

17 years ago, I’ve never heard of this group. 17 years ago was a turning point in my life. Shortly after my sister passed away, I had no one to confide in. I turned up at my first prayer meeting to seek some answers to my life and my marriage.

So this is what God did! Not one but 3 beautiful things God did.

1. He changed my history! Not only was my life changed. Ever since then I’ve been a part of this Group, my extended family. Ever since my sister’s death we have often gone to the wakes of relatives of our members here to pray and minister. So to be ministered to 17 years later is a different feeling altogether. No doubt the brothers and sisters who turned up did not know my brother in law, the fact that they turned up gave me so much comfort and love. My Spiritual Family! My Community turned up!
   
   
2. 2nd thing God did: God is a God of impossibilities. Any impossible and difficult cases are dealt personally by him. All these years he has been working on Michael. Like my husband, Michael loved to debate and anything that cannot be proven scientifically, its existence is questionable. So with the faith of Michael, God has given me a sure and certain hope that my husband’s salvation is not a pending case but a pet project of God.
   
   
3. God is a classic God. Michael was baptized by a member of our own Prayer Group who later became a priest ministering in the Church of the Holy Trinity. God linked all these up.. As I reflected over this, God is showing me something here. Why God wants our Prayer Group to be there again after all these years meant that God has something up his sleeves!
   

After our Group’s Prayer session, we were requested to come back again despite the fact that the Holy Trinity Wake ministry was present every night. They were so comforted by the Prayers and songs. We did the Divine Mercy and ended up singing 7 songs. This was not in our plan but God has a classic way of making things happen. The presence of God abounded and at this time of loss, the Holy Spirit’s power was at work as it felt like a prayer meeting. God’s classic work progressed on!

The seeds that were sown that night and the next day during the funeral Mass, many of them non Catholics went up for the blessing. They started asking more about the faith. My sister, since she is in RCIA had many people enquiring. In a job fair, the RCIA was doing brisk business. So I helped out with the enquiries as my sister was short handed.

As I take stock, God is really amazing. We didn’t set out with any plans to evangelize. We just wanted to be there for Mike’s family in their time of loss. But God has big plans. He used our Prayer Group, my family, my sister for his great work. This is mission work.

And to the icing on the cake:-
My sister got a big fat check but not for herself. My brother-in-law, Mike was a well to do man. He had no children and he instructed his youngest brother to donate it to his choice of charity. Even though this youngest brother is a devout Buddhist, he decided to donate a substantial amount to Matthew 25, the soup kitchen of Nativity Church.

God used us in the most marvelous way! For he put all of us in the right place at the right time. Let us all live to do his perfect will.

Glory to his Name!
His loving daughter : Mrs. Brenda Tham
Submitted: 23 Mar 2010