When Darlene's Faith Failed
Darlene Deibler Rose writes in Evidence Not Seen the story of her four years in a Japanese internment camp. She spent weeks in solitary confinement with very little food and much harsh treatment. One day with real effort she climbed up to look out a window to watch some prisoners in the courtyard and saw a woman grab some bananas from a hand that shot through a tangle of vines while the guard's back was turned.
Darlene began to crave bananas. "Lord, I'm not asking You for a whole bunch like that woman has. I just want one banana." She looked up and pleaded, "Lord, just one banana."
Then she began to rationalize. How could God possibly get a banana to her through those prison walls? She would never ask the guard. She bowed her head again and prayed, "Lord, there's no one here who could get a banana to me. Please don't think I'm not thankful for the rice porridge. It's just that--those bananas looked so delicious!"
The next morning, she heard officers coming. "Lord," she prayed, "officers are coming. Give me strength to make a proper bow." But with her guard was Mr. Yamaji, a camp commander, where Darlene had previously been imprisoned.
He said, "You're very ill, aren't you?" After a few words he and the guard left. Then it hit her. She had forgotten to bow. She heard the guard coming back and knew he was coming back to beat her.
He opened the door, walked in, and laid at her feet--bananas! "They're yours," he said, "and they're from Mr. Yamaji." Darlene sat down stunned. She counted them. There were 92 bananas.
Darlene said, "In all my spiritual experience, I've never known such shame before my Lord. I pushed the bananas into a corner and wept before Him. 'Lord, forgive me; I'm so ashamed." He answered back in her heart, "That's what I delight to do, the exceeding abundant above anything you ask or think." She knew in those moments that nothing is impossible with God.
Thank You, Lord, for even answering prayer when our faith fails.
"Consider the great love of the Lord" (Psalm 107:43)
Memory Verse for May
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6, 7).
Prayer Request Pray for a continued summoning by the Holy Spirit so that every woman who should be at the conference will learn about it and be drawn to attend.
