Christian Library | Full Free Coptic Books | Orthodox Library

Short Stories (Stories for the Youth), book by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

181- An Atheist and An Answer for a Prayer

 

St-Takla.org Image: A young man praying while kneeling in front of a chair - by Amgad Wadea. صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: رجل (شاب) يصلي وهو راكب أمام كرسي كبير - رسم أمجد وديع .

In a trip across the Atlantic, one of the ministers was preaching about answered prayers. An atheist said he did not believe a word of what the minister was saying. He returned to his room and he was thinking if there was a God. Does He listen to us and answer our prayers? Is what the Minster saying mere imagination? While he was struggling with these ideas, his soul was screaming, “I want to know the truth.” He continued to struggle till the time for the evening service. He rushed to listen to the minister. On his way to the meeting, he noticed a lady who looked tired and weak. Not knowing what to do, he found two oranges in his pocket. He put the oranges in the lady's stretched hands and rushed to the meeting. Coming back from the meeting, he saw the lady eating one of the oranges. He said to her “It seems that you’re enjoying your orange.”

She answered, “Yes, my Heavenly Father is kind and generous.”

The man said, “He isn’t alive.”

The lady said, “Don’t say that. I’ve been suffering from seasickness for the past 5 days and I saw the passengers in the first class were getting oranges and I was too shy to ask for an orange. Today my master gave me two oranges while I was sleeping, not one but two. He gave me more than I need. I believe in His promises.”

“For you father knows our needs before we even ask” (Matt. 6.8).

The atheist asked her, “Do you mean what you say?”

She answered, “Why should I lie?”

The atheist paused for a moment then he said to himself, “May be the living God took care of her through me while I thought I could oppose Him.”

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: الملحد والصلاة المستجابة!

Open the eyes of all people so they can see You as a Father

Who stretches His hand and satisfies every one from His kindness.

You are the true Giver.

Let me cry from my depth to You.

““You are my share,” said my soul.”

---