The Airplane cruised down the runway , I could hear the engines increasing in speed as the noise grew louder and louder.
Then suddenly, just before take-off, one engine cut out. Silence. The pilot stopped the aircraft and taxied back to the airport.
Clearly the one engine was broken and after some inspection by the engineers we had to move to a different airplane. Except for one problem, there wasn’t enough space on the new plane for everybody to fit.
I was on my way back to South Africa from a trip to the Czech Republic, flying via London. God had provided on numerous miraculous ways for the trip to take place.
Just before this trip I also contemplated signing up for a TEFL course at the University. It would start just after I returned from Europe.
It was also my last year of studies and I really wanted to do it. However it cost about R6000 for the three month course and after having to raise money for my European trip it seemed near impossible to get the money.
Somehow God still stirred my spirit and told me, If I can provide the money for this trip I can provide money for the course. I couldn’t get myself to do it however, I couldn’t sign up for a course I had absolutely no money for.
So I decided not to.
Volunteers who decided to stay another night in London, for lack of space on the broken aircraft, received 400 pounds and a free night in a 5 star hotel. Of course I volunteered.
As I was sitting in my hotel room with the 400 pounds, which was around R5000, I wondered what I should do with it and then suddenly realised: the TEFL course! God had provided the money for the course!
When I got back to University I immediately went to the Course teacher and had to beg from him to allow me since my application was late. By God’s grace he allowed me.
I just read the story in John 20 of Tomas not wanting to believe the other disciples saw Jesus Christ until he saw him with his own eyes and touched him with his hands. Tomas saw all the wonderful things Jesus had done for three years and yet he couldn’t believe that He rose from the dead.
When Jesus did appear to Tomas he said: "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
I was like Tomas. Even after God had miraculously provided for my trip to the Czech I still couldn’t believe that he could provided the money for TEFL. I had to see first before I could believe. And how wonderful would it not have been had I walked in faith and see God provide what I trusted him for?
Let’s not rob ourselves of the gift of faith which is often ready at our disposal.