In the twists and turns of my life under the Sovereign hand of Mercy, it has been my privilege to meet some exceptional people. One of the best was John Wimber, who died 23 years ago, and who I counted as a dear friend.
In the late 80s I was walking around Brighton praying - and one of my inchoate longings expressed in prayer was that I wanted to meet Wimber. Ten years later, in Harrogate, a voice grabbed my attention as I was about to cross the road: “Hey, David White the victorious, we need to meet. I have been praying for you.” It was none other than Wimber. How kind our Lord is to remember our prayers! How he had heard of me and been praying for me is another story.
What ensued was years of meeting together, even having a week with him in America with my dear friend Tim - just the three of us. I have never met a more impressive follower of Jesus: kind, gentle, funny, authoritative, stern, holy, loving, and his knowledge of God’s word written was immense. In the course of knowing each other, he both shouted at me and hugged me. His smile could light the National Grid. He had lunch with Ruth and me - and said with a delightful wink that he preferred her to me! He was a great lover of Jesus and his church. His library was huge.
So in my study I have a photograph of him and me and Tim - our arms round each other’s shoulders. Tim and I look rather sheepish as if we can’t believe what’s happening.
I miss Wimber. And oddly, I dream of him quite a lot. Above all, I thank God for him, one of the best.
And I marvel at how God stores up our prayers.
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