Miracle on 50th Street by Joy Clary Brown

A Month of Miracles: 30 Stories of the Unmistakable Presence of God

A Month of Miracles is a warm and inspiring collection of stories that bear witness to the unmistakable imprint of God’s hand in the average circumstances of life. Written by a diverse group of six women, the stories presented in the 30-day devotional will remind readers that God’s supernatural work happens in the ordinary moments.

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Today and tomorrow I'll share an excerpt from this book.

Miracle on 50th Street
by Joy Clary Brown

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

In all the world there is simply nothing like Christmas in New Your! It's beautiful; it's wonderful; it's miraculous! You probably are familiar with the movie Miracle on 34th Street, but it might surprise you to learn that there was a lesser-known, yet no less significant, miracle on 50th Street.

It was Christmas 1986. Colored lights on street corners, in store windows, and in the eyes of children blinked like rhythmical dancing. Santas of every race, creed, and color were stationed beside red buckets as they jingled bells and collected money for the "less fortunate." Frigid air, slushy snow, roasted chestnuts, frantic shoppers, tired store clerks, and screeching traffic all harmonized like a maestro's symphony to make it what it was-Christmas in New Your!

Our family had recently moved to New Jersey for my husband, Wayne, to serve s pastor of a mission church. The small congregation planned to go into New York City to see the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall on 50th Street. Entermann's Bakery and Maxwell House Coffee sponsored the show that year, and the combination of one bakery coupon and a coffee can lid from these sponsoring companies was worth a savings of five dollars per ticket for up to four tickets. Our church members had been saving bakery coupons and plastic coffee can lids for months.

With coupons and lids in hand, Wayne traveled to New York to purchase the tickets for our group. He patiently stood in a long ticket line, waiting his turn inside the magnificently decorated lobby of Radio City.

After purchasing the tickets, he was left with one extra coupon and coffee can lid. Turning to the person in line behind him, he was a petite black lady with a pensive expression on her face. Offering her the coupon and coffee can lid, he inquired, "Would you like to have these? They will help you with your tickets."

When a stranger offers you anything in New Your City, you are somewhat suspicious and reluctant to take it. She cautiously accepted his gift and moved up to the ticket window.

My husband maneuvered through the press of people and almost had reached the door leading to the sidewalk when the sound of a child's voice stopped him. "Mister, mister, will you please wait? My mama wants to talk to you." He turned to see a little girl about eight or nine years of age pushing through the crowd to stop him.

Wayne curiously stepped back inside the lobby when he noticed the same lady who had been in the ticket line behind him hurriedly trying to catch him. "Mister, I just want to thank you," she panted.

Wayne replied, "Oh, you're welcome."

With a serious tone in her voice she repeated, "No, mister, I really want to thank you. You see, coming to this show is the only thing my baby wanted for Christmas. While I was standing in the line behind you, I rad the prices and realized that we did not have enough money to buy the tickets. I prayed, Dear God, this is all my baby wants for Christmas and I can't give it to her. Would you please provide a way for her to see this show? Right after that, sir, you turned and handed me those things. I didn't know what they were, but when I gave them to the lady at the window, she told me they were worth five dollars per ticket...ten dollars!"

With shaky hands she showed Wayne a small amount of money she had left in her palm. "Look, mister, now I can even buy my baby a hamburger before the show begins."

The three of them-my husband, a stranger, and her "baby"-stood in the bustling lobby of Radio City Music Hall joining hands in prayer and thanking God.

Upon returning home, Wayne bounded through our front door and shouted, "Joy, Meri Beth, Molly, come here. Have I got a story for you!"

The four of us sat on the couch and cried as Wayne related the events of that afternoon. Through tears I choked out the words, "Isn't that just like God? Before the lady even knew she had the need, He had already provided the answer!"

Thus it has been, and thus it will always be. Our loving God knows what we need long before we do. And He already has provided the answer to our every need on another Christmas 2,000 years ago.

Meditation Moments
1. What do you thing is the most pressing need in your life right now?

2. Cultivate the habit of quoting Philippians 4:19 each time you are tempted to worry about that need.

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