Three Powerful Words
After boarding the plane for what was to be a three hour flight, I noticed a beautiful 11 month old girl sitting in her mothers’ lap two rows ahead of us, just bubbling with joy and quiet laughter. However, after the plane gained altitude, she began a fitful cry which quickly became an annoying scream. The young mother attempted many things to bring her comfort including changing her diaper, nursing her, and giving her a pacifier. After about 15 minutes, people began turning around with looks ranging from simple irritation to outright disgust. The young mother became exasperated and embarrassed as she turned to witness the onlookers.
The condemnation of the mother was just about more than I could stand. I clicked open my seatbelt. Jesus can do something about this, I thought as His compassion welled up within me. My husband said, “Where are you going?”
As I approached the young lady, a young man in the row in front of her raised up in his seat to look over at her with hatred in his eyes. I knelt down in the aisle and spoke briefly with the mother, asking her if she thought her daughters’ ears were bothering her from the assent of the plane. I asked if I might pray for the child. She agreed and bowed her head as the little girl continued to wail.
“Dear sweet Jesus”, I uttered as I placed my hand on the child’s head.
Complete silence then broke the airwaves. The tension that could have been cut with a knife from all the people around the child was squashed in an instant.
I finished the prayer, asking the Lord to restore peace and calm to the little girl, but those words were wasted breath. He had already answered the prayer. I wished them a good trip and returned to my seat.
Astonished, my husband said, “she stopped crying the moment you two bowed your heads.”
“Yes, she did. Jesus answered our prayer.”
After a few minutes of continued silence, a woman in the seat across the aisle from me leaned over and asked, “What did you say to her?”
“I prayed for the child.”
“You did what?”
“All I did was pray for the child.”
“Really?”
Returning to the book that she was reading, without another word, she was left to ponder what had just happened in utter silence for the remainder of the trip. She witnessed the King of Kings answer a prayer in a split second when no other human solution was at hand. The little girl soon began her playful laughter again.
As for me, I marveled at what the Lord had just done. I could have said, “Dear sweet Jesus - Amen”. He answered our prayer before the actual request even formed in my mouth. I was reminded of Isaiah 65:24, which says, “before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
As we exited the plane, I overheard the woman across from me speaking to a woman behind her about all the times she had found herself in the same situation with her own children and how people around her became upset with her for not being able to quiet them.
I just bubbled on the inside at the Lord’s faithfulness and His ability to testify to the whole world of His love. He demonstrated to all the onlookers that He is eager to answer if only we will ask.