Daniel "But those who know their God will be strong and do great exploits."
The people of Faith Harvest Church have heard of this lady on more than one occasion. I have used her life in teaching and preaching and have talked about her profound influence on my walk with God. Her name was Lillian Hillis, my grandmother on my father's side, and she was the epitome of a true Southern lady.
Life around my grandparents' house was the embodiment of the Deep South of years ago. My grandfather was a farmer, and the home and farm ran on a tight schedule. Breakfast at 7 a.m., Lunch at 12 noon, and supper at 6 p.m. There was 'help' both on the farm and in the home, and everything had to be done according to proper etiquette.
On holidays, when we would gather around the dining table at their home, it was a lavish affair, with crystal and china and mouth watering biscuits and, of course, sweet tea. At each person's place setting would be tiny individual salt and pepper shakers, and a dish of lemons and freshly picked spearmint leaves to drop into your tea glass...oh, the fragrance and the flavors!
Bear with me, as I am setting the stage for you. She was prim. She was proper. Her house was proper. Her behavior was proper. She was stoic and even a bit aristocratic. My grandfather had been a sort of rowdy one, from what I understand, but during the years of my growing up she kept him in proper form as well.
All that is to say that she was not given to drama; not given to emotional display. I never knew her to be untruthful or unkind. She was not charismatic nor was she pentecostal. She belonged to a denomination that was very firm in its teaching that the signs and wonders of the New Testament church were due to the ministry of the Apostles, and that those days were now gone. But she was a woman of very deep faith, who apparently did not believe everything taught by the denomination.
Often I would see her with her Bible open in her lap, or with a book on faith, or prayer, next to her chair. She was a praying woman, and a woman who believed very deeply in the power of prayer.
As I became a young man, I learned of her exploits of faith. They were very private and until that time I had never even heard them spoken of. These occasions occurred before I was born, but I heard them firsthand from her, with no sensationalism or self-seeking.
One event concerned my uncle, who for some reason was hospitalized and whatever his illness was had also left him blind. The doctors said there was no hope of a cure and that he would be blind for the rest of his life.
But my grandmother stayed with him in the hospital, and stayed on her knees praying for him all night long. And in her words, "Just before dawn, I saw the Lord...I saw Jesus there in the room. He walked over to Ralph, laid His hands on his eyes, and then He was gone."
Tears streamed down her face as she relayed the story to me. (It was the only time I remember ever seeing her cry, other than when my grandfather died). In the morning, when the doctors came in, my uncle had his full sight and the doctors had no explanation.
The other occasion was when my own father was being drafted to serve in the army and he was to be sent directly to Korea, right into the face of the conflict. The orders had already been given. Now, it happened that back in those days my grandmother was a smoker, as were so many. But she felt the Lord dealing with her to quit. She was horrified at the thought of my father heading into battle and possibly never returning. So once again, she went to prayer. And this time she bargained with God. "Lord, if you will keep Roy from battle, I promise I'll never smoke again". A few days later, the word came. My father's unit was shipped out for Korea, but a 'clerical error' resulted in him remaining in the states and never having to go to Korea. And because of that I never saw a cigarette in my grandmother's hand, because she kept her promises!
These stories touched me deeply and caused my to search the Word of God for the truth concerning His power and provision for today.
My friends, He's still the God of miracles. And the Bible says that faith is what pleases Him.
Perhaps you are in a terrible situation. You feel backed into a corner. You see no light at the end of the tunnel. He is a God of intervention, of provision, and of great Victory. Place all of your trust in Him today. He will not fail you.
