Long Distance Call
My friend, Rich, volunteers with prison ministries, and in his work has
become friends with the pastor of a store front church called the ALMIGHTY
GOD Tabernacle.
On a Saturday night several weeks ago, this pastor was working late, and
decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but
his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He
thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few
things and try again in a few minutes.
When he tried again, she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't
answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house. They
brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry way. The following Monday,
the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that
he'd used that Saturday night. The man on the other end wanted to know why
he'd called on Saturday night. The pastor was dumbfounded and couldn't figure
out what the guy was talking about. Then the caller said, "It rang and rang,
but I didn't answer."
The pastor remembered the apparently misdirected call and apologized for
disturbing the gentleman, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife. The
caller said, "That's OK, let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to
commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God, if You're
there, and You don't want me to do this, give me a sign now.' At that point
my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'ALMIGHTY
GOD'. I was afraid to answer!"
The man who had intended to commit suicide is now meeting regularly for
counseling with the pastor of ALMIGHTY GOD Tabernacle.
Story from the Gospel Radio Group
