God's Bank Account

from Grandma Stories: God’s Little Miracles by LDMahan

 

It’s not a good feeling to run out of something you like.  Did you ever get to the bottom of your ice cream bowl and kind of scrape up the creamy, melty goodness—just WISHING you had more?  It would be even worse if you took your very, very last bite of food and there was no more food in the house!  Well, this is a story of how one family “ran out.”

It was another hot, dusty day in Mission, Texas, and the family really was on a “mission.”  A mission is when you go somewhere on purpose to do something important.  Their mission was to learn to speak Spanish at a missionary school in South Texas.  They were on a mission for God.  But they had a big problem.  Their bank account had almost run out!  Now, for adults their bank account is like your piggy bank—when it is empty you cannot buy anything else.   With an empty bank account there would be no supper on the table, no bed to sleep in—not even any gas in the car to go to a friend’s house and ask for help.  Help!!

The mom and dad tried not to be worried.  They remembered when Jesus had said to some people who had run out of stuff: “Don’t worry about what you will eat or wear.  Your Heavenly Father even takes care of the flowers and birds—and you are way more important than birds!"

The family had just enough in their bank account to make a short trip to their hometown, but they didn’t ask their family and friends for help—they asked God instead!  Remember, they were on God’s mission.

The mom and dad and their boy and girl drove to their hometown.  They went to their hometown church service.  Everyone greeted them, but no one gave them anything.  They visited their family.  Everyone hugged them, but no one gave them anything.

It was almost time to leave, and still no help.

Suddenly, the mom started laughing.  She laughed and laughed and laughed.  It was a crazy kind of laugh because no one had told a joke!  But the mom saw something funny anyway.  She saw that the devil thought he had won, but she knew that God was going to win.  So she laughed.  How did she know that?  It’s hard to explain, but she just knew.

On saying goodbye to their family, the dad’s brother gave them a message:

“My mother-in-law, Joan, has asked that you visit her before you leave.  Would you do that?”

The parents said they would, and they drove forty-five minutes to meet her.

And THAT is when they got an amazing shock!

Joan said the them, “I have something for you.”  She paused to explain.

“A short time ago my mother died.  She left me an inheritance.  I am going to give a tithe, 10 percent, to God’s work.  I asked Him where to give it.  He said I should give it to you.”

She then handed the amazed parents a check.  And do you know how much money was written on the check?  One thousand dollars!!  The mom and dad and son and daughter drove down the road in a happy daze.

Back in Mission the next day, the family picked up their mail at the Post Office.  One of the letters had a familiar handwriting.  When the mom unfolded the letter from her father, a check dropped out!  And I’ll bet you can never guess the amount of money written on that check!  It was for one thousand, four hundred dollars!  The enclosed note read: “I invested some money in your name and the investment has paid a dividend.  Love, Dad.”

So, to “add up” this miracle, let’s do some math.  When this family started on their trip, their bank account had run out.  By the time they returned, they had $1,000. + $1,400. = $2,400. – enough to pay their bills and finish their mission in Mission!

God’s Bank Account never runs out!