Talking with Jesus

Numbers 12:3

Good News Translation (GNT)

³ Moses was a humble man, more humble than anyone else on earth.

Dad and Mom spent 42 years as missionaries in Africa. They arrived in Cape Town, South Africa, on a hot January day. They were met at the ship and spent the day with a family who put them on the evening train to Somerset West. Arthur Davy met them at the station in a “lorry” (a truck) and took them out to Helderberg College where they worked for the next 18 years. The two families became fast friends.

The Davys moved to a mission to the north a few years later. When I started to school in 1950, their daughter June Davy was in the same class. She had been sent close to 2000 miles from home to attend the first grade at the Helderberg Primary School. I still am deeply moved to think of the sacrifice the Davys made for the Lord. They were very anxious that their children get a good, Christian education. June was so young she still couldn’t pronounce all the English words. I remember how she would say “hope” when she meant “help.” Our teacher joked that if she really needed help, people would here her calling “hope!” and she might not get the help she needed.

In 1956 my parents took my brother and me back to the States with them on furlough. The Davy’s were on board the same ship. This was the first time I had met them. We joined them in worship on a Sabbath at sea. When the time came for prayer, Elder Davy was asked to pray. Never in my life had I heard anyone pray like he did. I certainly don’t remember the words, but I do vividly remember his style of prayer. Gone were the “thee” and “thou” so common in everyone’s prayers in those days. He spoke to God as I would have to a friend. It was obvious from the first word that he knew God intimately, that he had total confidence that God not only was listening closely but would also supply exactly what we needed. Davy’s prayer provided me a real-life sample of how God and Moses spoke face-to-face (Numbers 12:8) as to a friend. After that I never viewed prayer the same!

Thank You, Jesus, for being a real, understanding Friend!