Faith for the Long Haul - 2

Dr. Wesley Duewel may look feeble at the age of 92 as he shuffles about with his cane, but his sharp mind, strength of character, and strong faith made an impression on me. This past November I was able to spend two hours with Dr. Duewel during a visit to Indianapolis. He was gracious to meet with me. I was thrilled to meet this man of faith and prayer.

We walked into his office at OMS International surrounded by shelves of books and mementos from around the world. For lack of shelf space the books he authored translated into numerous languages (61) are lined up on the floor in front of his study desk. Touch the World through Prayer (1,000,000 copies in print), Let God Guide You Daily, Ablaze for God, Mighty Prevailing Prayer, and Measure Your Life are just a few of his books. Later in our conversation about revival he took a frame from his shelf that housed a page from the Bible owned by Evan Roberts, the young man who helped to begin the Welsh revival in 1904.

I was most impressed with his heart for God, the world, and his confidence in a God who hears and answers prayer. I am a woman of many questions, so I went with my notebook in hand hoping to glean from this man's life experiences grounded in a deep faith.

When did your heart for prayer begin?

He told me the story of how as a five-year-old playing in his sandbox he heard the Lord say to him, I want you to go to India. He ran into the house and said, Mommy, mommy, God told me to go to India. And mommy, mommy, I want you to go with me. (Of course, a 5-year-old would want his mom to go with him!) He fondly remembers his mother's heart and tears for China during their family prayer times and she was a bit disappointed that God wouldn't send him to China. Although he didn't go to China he says his mother's prayers were answered through him since a half million of his books are in China.

He never forgot or lost the call. While a student at Bible College he began to pray six requests over a 2-year period. Each night he would watch for the library lights to go out, then he would let himself in with a key and pray by a dimly lit globe over the six requests. They all had to do with going to India. He saw all six answered by the time he left for India just one year after his college graduation, and along with his new wife, spent the next 25 years serving the people of India through OMS.

I was reminded again that there is faith in asking God for specific things. I just finished reading through the book of Genesis. In chapter 24, Abraham, living in the land of the Canaanites, sends his chief servant to find a wife for his son Isaac in his home country. His servant prays a very specific prayer and watches God answer that prayer. When we know that we are asking in line with God's will, we can be specific in prayer.

More on Dr. Duewel next time...