A Lesson in Ink
One Sunday night some years ago, Pastor Peter Lord had to leave the Bible Study group meeting at our home early as he had a plane to catch. When he snapped his briefcase closed, a bottle of black ink broke. As he walked, it squirted across my coffee table, over pages in my olivewood-covered Bible there and onto the living room carpet—all the way to the entry hall.
He apologized profusely. I tried to reassure him.
“It was an accident. We’ll get this up. Go catch your plane and forget about it,” I said with a smile, as I patted him on the back and opened the front door for him.
Several men and women grabbed the towels and supplies I brought in and most of us got down on the carpet to try to remove the black ink spots. But they wouldn’t budge.
I looked over at Lilly, who was rocking back and forth in her chair. I thought to myself, a bit accusingly, “Why isn’t she helping us?”
Then I remembered she was not only the oldest in our group, but our mature prayer intercessor. I assumed she was praying as her eyes were shut, her mouth was moving, but she was silent.
I knelt beside the coffee table and began to scrub. Suddenly I laughed quietly to myself, remembering our home’s dedication service.
“Here’s where I knelt to give our house to You Lord, on this very spot. So, if this is Your house, this is Your carpet. And then it’s Your problem too. So, what are You going to do about it?”
I had hardly uttered that silent question to God when Lilly spoke. Just three words. “Get some milk,” she said.
I ran to the refrigerator and came back with milk. As each of us scoured with a towel dipped in milk, we watched the ink spots disappear.1
Don’t ask me if milk is a remedy for removing ink. I don’t know. I only know that it worked when I asked God what to do. And when I remembered I had given Him my house at a dedication ceremony. And when I remembered that Lilly was our group’s main prayer warrior.
The carpet was clean, and the only indication of that night are the black spots across the pages of my prized Bible from Israel. Today my “ink-spot” Bible is a constant reminder that sometimes He will speak to my need through advice from other Christians. And when He does, I may need to listen and obey.
Prayer: Father, help me stay sensitive to hear Your direction to me personally or through other believers.I knowI must always depend on You for guidance. So, help me remain alert and open to hear correctly. I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Scripture: Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24 NIV)
Footnote: 1. Excerpted from Good Night, Lord by Quin Sherrer, Chosen Books, p.39. E-book available, Amazon.
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