In November of 1994 the Lord spoke and said, “Every year you share your Christmas with others. This year I want you to give it all away.” I told my wife and son about this and they graciously consented to the Lord’s will. A few days later I received a letter from a Christian couple and while I was reading it the Lord spoke again, saying, “These are the ones you’re to give your Christmas to.” On December 5th we had all their gifts purchased and I was packing them when the Lord said, “Put a hundred dollar bill with the gifts and mail them today.” I thought it was a little early to mail Christmas gifts, but did as I was told.
On December 9th I received a phone call from the brother we had sent the gifts to. They had arrived that day. (Neither he nor his wife knew we were sending anything.) He expressed his surprise and told me he had met a lady just that day that had a heart condition. He went on to say that she lived with her son and that he was supporting her. The son was in his mid-twenties and had a menial job that paid minimum wage. In an effort to make ends meet, the son had also been selling his blood twice a week. This brother said he was deeply touched by this and had purposed in his spirit to give them $100.00. However, at the time he didn’t have the money to spare, so he determined to trust God for it. When he arrived home that afternoon he found our package waiting for him. He then asked if I would be offended if he gave the $100.00 to the mother and son. I gave my blessings and he and his wife took the money to them that same evening.
When they arrived they learned that the mother and son were both Christians and that they had been crying out to Jesus for help. The brother told them how the Lord had put it on his heart to give them $100.00 and how He had supplied it with such precise timing. And when he handed them the hundred dollar bill the son broke down and wept uncontrollably. Needless to say, these people were very appreciative and gave the glory to God.
After tasting of the Lord’s intimate concern just sixteen days before Christmas, this mother and son spent the holidays filled with peace and joy. And thirteen days after celebrating the birth of their Savior, the mother unexpectedly said goodbye, both to her loving son, and to the trials and tribulations of earth. On January 7th she joined Jesus, the Keeper of her soul, forever to dwell in His holy presence. And the couple who had given the money were left standing in awe, in debt to Jesus for His having allowed them to be a vehicle of the Father’s blessings upon this mother and son during their last days together on earth.
As for my family and me, we sat around the tree that Christmas morning anticipating that even though we had no gifts of our own to open, it was going to be a beautiful and rewarding Christmas. And as it so often is with God, our anticipations were realized abundantly beyond what we were expecting. And for this we are eternally grateful to our most kind and considerate heavenly Father. To Him who leads us in things too wonderful to be imagined be reverent worship forever.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
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