Parking at Coronation market in downtown Kingston is a huge hassle if you get there after 5 a.m. on a Saturday morning! It was 7:30 when I drove into town and my mind was set on getting custard apples even though I was so late. A space opened up just as I passed it and when I glanced at the long line of traffic behind me, I knew it was going to be mayhem if I tried to reverse! “Okay God,” I bargained, “I really need a miracle, so I’m asking You please, please, please, send favour my way!”
I inched forward on the bumper of the vehicle before me and about 10 cars up from the slot I had missed, was a space about the size of a large bus! Every single car in front of me had passed it and I was about to as well! (Talk about getting ready to receive when you pray! I was slow and consequently almost missed my blessing!)
Now, would you believe that a bus was behind me and the driver stopped and allowed me all the room I needed to park?! “That’s not the norm for bus drivers,” my mind began analysing, but I had to cut short the assessment, quickly park, and dash from the vehicle. My head was buzzing with excitement about my miracle!
ALREADY SOLD!
As I walked a short distance to the vendors, it probably was the second thing I saw as I entered the market: a tantalising bag of custard apples, already sold, and none in sight for me to purchase! I asked where else I could find some and the owner, who was sitting on a little stool, resting casually said, “You want them? You can have them!”
People, I am not kidding; I almost passed out. I could hear my finite mind saying, “No man, this ya God ya no ordinary! Run!” I literally was so awed by the sequence of events that I became afraid at God’s limitless grace! I don’t know if you understand what I’m saying. I felt overwhelmed and became afraid that the LORD was blessing me too much!
Malachi 3:10 came to mind where God speaks about us bringing Him our tithes and offerings (could that also be ourselves?):
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
God’s pouring didn’t cease with that offer either, for not only did I receive the bag of custard apples, I also got them for free! When I asked the owner how much I should pay, she waved me away and said, “No, no. They are yours! You don’t have to pay me!”
I looked at her for a little while before I took the bag. I recognised her as the owner of a famous fish restaurant on the beach at Helshire, someone I knew about, but had never interacted with before. Months later, I discovered that she was a staunch Believer and was always giving to the work of the LORD.
She had absolutely made my morning, but she seemed unaware how much her action had impacted me because she just closed her eyes and continued relaxing.
ARE YOU MAD?
I saw only one other person selling custard apples in the market that day and it wasn’t even in the market proper, it was on an adjoining street. I was about to ask the price when the Holy Spirit admonished, “Are you mad?! I’ve already provided freely for you; you don’t even know if those are good on the inside! If you buy them, you’re on your own!”
I had to laugh at myself because I literally did a sharp U-turn and kept my walking distance! Custard apples don’t always ripen properly, even when they look good on the outside, and for a vendor to have some that late in the morning, it was all too strange!
I thank God for the way that He blessed me against all odds that Saturday morning; how He opened door after door for me and reminded me so many times of the power of prayer. Even though I had started out late; He showed up right on time!
Great is still God’s faithfulness 12 years later!