Today I am making some plans for our high school seniors’ annual trip. I have been a senior class advisor 18 times in my years of teaching, and although seniors are a lot of work, I love them. In fact, one might say that I feel called to minister to students on the edge of the real world. So today I’m making plans for this year’s trip, and a memory returned. I’d like to share it as a word of encouragement. God really does intervene for good in the lives of His children.
Setting Up for an Intervention
It was more than a dozen years ago, and my seniors and I had a fantastic trip to Orlando planned. There were two beautiful homes reserved for us in a gated community, one house for the girls and one for the boys. A busy itinerary was planned. We were going to do our service project at Wycliffe Bible Translators. We were also going to spend a day at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. A third day, the group would split up, as per their choice, to go either to Discovery Cove or Cape Canaveral.
Several factors entered into what was about to become the biggest crisis and the biggest miracle that ever happened on a senior trip. But as in Genesis 50:20, what the enemy meant for evil, God used for good.
The trip was expensive, and some of the activities were paid in advance, some had pre-written checks which I would carry along, and some would be taken in “traveller’s checks,” now a thing of the past, but at the time, safer than cash.
My second grandchild was born the day before we were scheduled to leave, so I was unable to purchase the traveller’s checks from the bank. I had to cash the school check and just carry $2200 in paper money.
I had my things and all emergency supplies packed in a BIG suitcase. That suitcase had a little, secret, zipper pocket in the bottom of it, and that’s where I put $2000 of those dollars to keep safe.
So we traveled to Orlando and got settled into our beautiful houses. We had a lovely dinner all together (paid for with a little of that cash), had evening devotions, and settled down for the night. It was about to be a big first day with one group going to Discovery Cove and one group going to Cape Canaveral’s Kennedy Space Center. I was sleeping on the couch in livingroom, mainly because I could watch everything from there (not that I didn’t trust those girls … but they were teenagers).
A Voice in the Night
The house was quiet, I put my head on the pillow to sleep, and just as I was dozing off I heard a voice: “Bev, move the money.”
I opened my eyes and smiled. “Wow, I’m more tired than I thought.”
I closed my eyes again and began to drift off. Again I heard: “Bev, move the money.”
Strange. Hmmmm … one more time I closed my eyes, and one more time I heard: “Bev, move the money.”
“OK, OK, I’ll move the money!” I got up, opened my suitcase, and sifted through everything to that secret pocket. I took out the money and put it in the pocket of my devotion book on the table by the couch. I put my Bible on top of it, thinking I would move it in the morning. Then I got back on the couch and went straight to sleep.
The next morning, another chaperone did devotion and prayers while I fixed breakfast, and I forgot all about that money. I got into the van headed to Cape Canaveral and waved as the other van headed to Discovery Cove.
Intervention Revealed
We had an amazing day, but on the way home, the chaperone who was in the van with me got a phone call. The other group had returned to find that our house had been robbed! The theives took everything of any value–jewelry, cell phones, electronics, even designer sneakers! My first thought you can predict. I said, “Ask about my devotion book.”
I sounded like a fool. Amidst the panic and tears I kept asking, “Please ask if my devotion book is still there.” I didn’t tell them why.
Finally someone answered, “Yes, yes, your books are still there.” Is it possible that God really did intervene?
When we got to the house, the police were already there. I ran over to the table by the couch. My Bible was on top of my devotion book, and the money was untouched … but … my suitcase was gone. All its contents were dumped on the floor by the couch, but the big suitcase was gone! The policemen said they probably used that suitcase to pack up all the other stuff. The theives would have stolen all that cash and never realized they had it!
God Really Intervened for Us
God knew. God cared. God really does intervene.
That was not the first time I heard His voice. It was not the last. But it was probably the one that proved to the biggest group that God really does intervene for those He loves and those who are listening.
I’d love to say that the theives were caught and everything was restored to the owners. I can’t say that, and I don’t know why things turn out the way they do. I can say that a bunch of kids went home from their senior trip with the testimony of witnessing a miracle.
So let this story from my life be a word of encouragement. God knows what is going on with you, and you can absolutely count on Him: He does intervene!
He Works All Things for Good
“We know that God works all things for good for those who love Him, for those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
God bless you, and may you hear His voice often, and witness many miracles.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In