Day 226: Relying on God

Should be Day 233.

Simon was working down in his lab.  He was on the verge of finding a more efficient way to use solar panels, but something in his calculations kept preventing him from being successful.  He couldn't figure out what he could be doing wrong, but he was determined to figure it out.

"Simon!" called out a sweet, familiar voice.

"I'm down here, Jeanette!"

He heard her soft shoes creak down the wooden steps.  "I thought I'd find you down here."

"Yes, I'm working on my solar panel project, and it's not going well."

"I'm sorry.  Would you like me to see if I can help you?"

"No, thank you.  I'll manage.  What is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I wanted to know if you were free to come to library with me.  We haven't spent time together in a while."

"Well," he retorted, "you've been busy with your church endeavors, and our schedule never seem to coincide anymore."

Jeanette hesitated.  "You could always come with me, if you'd like.  I- I hate that you're missing such a huge part of my life."

Simon looked back at her with a pained expression that matched hers.  "Frankly, Jeanette, I'm not even sure if a God exists."

Jeanette bit her tongue to stop the tears from stinging her eyes.  "You don't mean that."

"I do.  I'm not being mean; I'm simply stating what I believe.  Besides, you have your sisters and Theodore to hang out with at church functions.  You don't need me."

"Actually," she breathed in deeply.  "Brittany isn't a Christian yet.  She's still confused about a lot of the Bible's teachings and what it would truly mean to live a Christian life.  But, Simon, you matter to me.  Not having you there isn't the same. "  She slowly walked back upstairs but paused on her way.  "God is the one who really needs you."

 Simon pondered after Jeanette's closing words long after she left.  "God needs me?  What does that even mean?  He's a god.  Can't he do anything?  Gods have always been interesting in mythology and history, but with all the scientific discoveries and laws in the world, how can people say there's a god?  I still don't understand how Jeanette could have believed that.  Her faith is so innocent..."

That night, Jeanette prayed long and hard for Simon.

"Dear God,

I really care about Simon, and as much as I want him to know about You, You care about him even more.  Please, please let it be Your will that Simon will believe in You, soon.  I want so badly to fix it, but I know he needs to come around on his own.  Please help me to be patient and as supportive as I can."

Weeks passed with no apparent change in Simon's behavior.  Jeanette didn't want to push the subject in case it would anger Simon or push him away completely.  God answered a different prayer of hers though in Brittany accepting God. Brittany was still confused about certain parts in the Bible and thought the battles were boring, but her belief that Jesus saved her was unshakable.  Now all three of the sisters could take about their faith, and they did their devotions together every night.

One day, Jeanette was sitting at the couch attempting to darn her socks.  She bit her tongue in concentration as she tried to thread her needle.  She was no good at sewing and such, but Miss Miller had urged her to try to improve her home ec skills.  Jeanette thought this would be the easiest way to do it.  A loud rap at the door startled her, making the needle prick her finger.

She answered the door while sucking on her finger.  "Oh, Simon!"

"Hi, Jeanette.  May I come in?"

 She quickly took her finger out.  "Sure, make yourself at home."

He shuffled in and adjusted his glasses.  It looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep in days, and his clothes were slightly rumpled.  "I, uh, wanted to talk to you about something."

"What's on your mind?"

"I was doing some research about mold samples when I stumbled across an article about Darwin.  There was something in the article that made me want to look up more on Darwin, and before I knew it, I was looking at the whole history of evolution and natural selection.  Thinking about your recent conversion to Christianity, I did some research about evidence on a Designer.  To make a long story, I have reason to believe, after hours of research, that, well, that there could be a God in the scientific field.  I'm not sure if he exists on a philosophical or moral view, but I,uh, certainly have much to think about him."

"That's wonderful, Simon!" Jeanette cried with delight.

"Now, I'm not saying I'm going to become a Christian.  I need to think about the whole matter further."

"Oh of course, of course.  I understand.  If I can help with anything, please ask."  She squeezed his hand.

"Alright, I will."

It wasn't exactly what she was hoping was going to happen, but Jeanette had faith that God would turn Simon's heart around, and in a few months, her faith paid off.  Simon prayed with Jeanette in her room to accept Jesus.  The night Alvin found out, he went for a long walk, not returning until his brothers were halfway ready for bed.