The Supply that Never Ran Dry

As I washed the dishes, I stared out my kitchen window. It was a bitter, cold, and rainy day. The bleakness matched my mood.

I shivered as I thought, “We don’t have enough money to buy our daughter’s medicine—definitely not enough to get her through the next few days.”

I felt helpless and alone as fear reared its ugly head. Interrupting these depressing thoughts, I heard my daughter Melanie calling me from her bedroom.

As I approached, I could hear her wheezing and struggling to breathe. I glanced at my watch and realized it was time for her next breathing treatment. I went back to the kitchen, fumbling as I measured out the dose. With the nebulizer filled, I rushed back to her bedroom. She was struggling to get air into her lungs. Her big brown eyes held the panic they always did before her breathing treatment.

I started the breathing machine and handed her the canister with the liquid medicine inside. Slowly, she got the relief she needed. When she was breathing with greater ease, I left the room with a sinking heart. I mindlessly returned to my dishwashing. “What was I going to do about getting more medicine?”

I estimated that she had enough medicine for maybe one or two more treatments. It wasn’t even enough to last through the day.
I had already depleted our emergency fund and there was not enough money to last until payday which was still three days away. I did not know what to do.

Slowly, my thoughts turned to a book that I had recently read—The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. My heart settled on the portion of Corrie’s story when her sister Betsie and she were sent to a concentration camp because they hid Jewish people in their home in Holland during WWII. Betsie and Corrie found the conditions in their barracks deplorable. They were packed in together with many other women prisoners, some of whom were very sick.

Betsie had snuck a bottle of medicine into the camp. When she saw the need for the medicine, she started to distribute some to her fellow prisoners. Corrie, being dismayed, questioned Betsie’s wisdom. After all, she reasoned, Betsie herself needed the medicine.
Betsie quieted Corrie’s fears by telling her that the Lord would provide all that was needed.

Even though Betsie knew she had a limited supply of medicine, she offered it freely to others and trusted God to provide. And He kept increasing and replenishing the supply—just enough for everyone in need. There was always enough.

As a new Christian, I didn’t know a lot about the prayer of supplication, but I whispered to God, “If you could do this for these girls, why can’t you do this for me?”

Later that afternoon, it came time to give Melanie another treatment. As I administered it, my worrying seemed to increase. I held up the vial of medicine. There was one more dose left in the bottle. I remembered again the story and the miracle God performed for Betsie and Corrie. Again I asked, “Why not for us?”

After giving my daughter her next dose, I prayed again. I came into the kitchen and was ready to throw away the bottle. Before I did so, I felt a nudge to look at it. Holding it up to the light I could see there was enough for one more dose. That seemed impossible. I had just given her all that was left.

The sky drew dark as evening approached. My husband would soon be home. Somehow, someway, we had to come up with some money for more medicine. As a last ditch effort, I counted our loose change. There was not enough.

As my husband walked through the door, I saw the weary look on his face. He was burdened that he was not able to provide for his family.
Soon after, I gave Melanie what was really going to be her last dose. Walking out of her room, I felt a similar nudge to hold the bottle up to the light. To my amazement, there was still enough medicine for one more treatment. I wanted to believe that this was real, but I still felt doubt in my heart. God again brought Betsie and Corrie’s story to mind. Suddenly, I felt a blanket of peace wash over me.

I told my husband that it was going to be all right. God must be performing a miracle. I just knew there would be enough medicine for Melanie.

Each subsequent time I gave her a dose, there was still enough for one more. This continued for a couple of days. The day my husband got paid, the supply ran dry. I was so grateful to God—He was willing to supply just enough for what we needed.

Throughout the years, I have learned more about the power of prayer. I stand in awe of God. I have seen miracles and changes happen in people’s lives as a result of prayer.

I have learned to stand firm, relying only on His goodness and His provision. He is our only hope and His supply never runs dry.
“My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).