I think that sometimes God uses people as His "unconscious agents" to serve as answers to prayer.


"Touched by an Angel" was a popular TV series about angels that inserted themselves into the lives of people who were experiencing various melodramas; sort of a vertical "Route 66". And while I believe that we sometimes do entertain "angels unaware" and sometimes God uses these "ministering spirits"- as He calls them- to intervene in situations. I think a lot of times He just uses natural means and ordinary people to do His bidding.


Yesterday, I think I encountered just such an instance.


My Dad is recuperating from open-heart surgery and yesterday was still sedated and in ICU. Our visits with him were limited to 4 thirty minute sessions, so I was driving my Mom and aunt around between visiting hours.


My whole family has had a stressful few days and we were all tired. As we jumped in the car to make another trek to the hospital to be there in time for the 5:00 visitation - the car battery died. We quickly grabbed another available ride and left, determined to deal with this problem later.


Now I freely admit that I am not mechanically inclined. I can reason - I have opposable thumbs - but when it comes to mechanics, I am all thumbs and not the opposable kind! My Dad could always fix things, but they may not work exactly the same as they did before. He has always been a big fan of "straight-wiring".

If you have an electronic device that is straight-wired, when you plug it in it's on. If you want to turn it off, you unplug it.


Dad "fixed" quite a few electronic devices and appliances that way.


I tend to be like Dad, but without the finesse.

There are a few mechanical tasks that I have completed... I have installed several flush-kits, I can change my own oil, I built a tree house for the kids a couple years ago - let's just leave it at that.

Because I recognize my deficiency in this area ("a man's GOT to know his limitations!" -Clint Eastwood), I have always tried to make up the difference by praying- a lot... about every repair job.


Yesterday, when we returned from the hospital, it became apparent that I needed to "be the little man of the house" since Dad was laying up there in ICU. So I took matters into my own hands, I jumped off my Mom's car while she and my Aunt tried their best to "help".
Then I took the car for a drive in hopes of better charging up the battery. Upon my return, I turned off the ignition and tried to crank the car again. Barely - just barely it cranked and even in my mechanically-challenged mind I knew that the battery was dead.

Sometimes, when backed into a corner, people will react with uncharacteristic flair. The adrenals began pumping and I flew into action... okay I didn't "fly into action" ... there was movement of sorts...

I called Walmart.

The guy in the service department seemed quite competent. They were to close in about half an hour, but he felt that if I could get their in ten minutes, his crew would have enough time to fix me right up before leaving for the day.

Then I realized that I had not called the Walmart just down the road; I had called the Walmart on the other side of town.

After hanging up, I quickly called the closer Walmart - using precious time - and discovered that they were not terribly busy and it was worth a try.

I raced out of the house and down the - okay I didn't race but I went at a pace that was slightly faster than my normal trudge.

Then I inserted my "mechanical-deficit-reduction-act" - I prayed. I prayed that I would get there in time to get the new battery in, I think I prayed for favor with selecting the correct one, I am pretty sure I prayed for that upcoming traffic light to stay green long enough for me to get through it!

I drove to the garage area at Walmart and found the place swept and clean, the doors were open but I saw no one.

I left the car running (for fear that if I had to leave it might not crank again), and who should meet me at the door but Billy - the answer to my prayer!!

I have known Billy for about twenty years, he goes to my church and he's been retired for quite awhile. He recently took a part-time job there because "being retired is no fun when you are alone". I could've kissed him on the forehead! I knew Billy would not leave me in my hour of need.

He was surrounded by three unseemly-looking characters. . . they had obviously been in the oil business all day. They all were coated with a generous layer of petro-perspiration.

I got the feeling that in another setting, these guys could have been mean.

But they were not mean yesterday - they might just as well have been three little pudgy cherabims flying around - cause they were the answer to my desperate prayer.

One guy left, Billy got my paperwork done and the other two cherubims just replaced my battery finishing up with about two minutes to spare.

It was confirmed to me that God was in this thing when another car drove up as they were getting mine finished. Out jumped a very attractive young lady with a nice tan and a flashing smile. She bounced up to "Gabriel "and his buddy and asked, "can I get my oil changed?".

"Not today," "Gabriel" replied " it's too late."

Now I ask you, under normal circumstances would these guys have said that? No, I think they would have said "-forget about 'mama's-boy' here and let's help this nice young lady!"

But they didn't. And I looked them in the eye and thanked them.
Then on my way back I thanked God.

It may be a commodity that is sometimes hard to find at Walmart these days; we call it good customer service. But it raises that practice to a new level when we think of it as "becoming the answer to a prayer".