The first time the well-known missionary, Hudson Taylor, went to China, he traveled by sailing ship. At one point during the voyage, the ship was becalmed near the northern coast of New Guinea.
The captain was most anxious, as the current was steadily carrying the ship towards some sunken reefs which would almost certainly wreck the vessel. Putting out the long-boat, the crew endeavored to turn the ship away from the shore, but without success. Without a wind, shipwreck seemed inevitable.
When the captain had tried his best to save the ship and failed, Hudson Taylor and three Christian friends went to their quarters to pray that God would send wind. After a brief time before the Lord in prayer, Taylor felt so certain that God had answered his prayer, that he returned to the deck and asked the mate to set the sails, as God was about to send the needed wind.
With an oath and a look of contempt, the mate replied that he would rather see a wind than hear about it.
Suddenly the corner of the topmost sail began to tremble in a breeze, and the mate agreed to let down the mainsail. Within a few moments, the wind strengthened and soon the ship was plowing her way at a steady six or seven knots an hour away from the dangerous reefs and out to sea.
God heard and answered the prayer of His servants in a most dramatic way.
The mate refused to set the sails until he saw evidence that Mr. Taylor's prayer had been answered. God wants us, however, to be ready when we ask anything of Him. We often pray, but many times we do not have sufficient faith to prepare for the answer.
"According to your' faith be it unto you." Matt. 9:29.