The Fearful Believer and her Paralyzed Mother: A Miracle of Faith
In a small, secluded home, a young woman lived in constant fear. She had given her heart to Jesus, but the threat of persecution loomed over her every day. Her mother, paralyzed and bedridden, was unaware of her daughter’s newfound faith. The young woman’s fear was so great that she refused to connect with any church, fearing that her secret would be discovered by her devout Muslim family and friends.
A Secret Faith
Her only confidant was a close friend, who secretly brought her Christian books and magazines, offering her spiritual nourishment in the shadows. Together, they prayed for her mother’s healing, but months passed with no improvement. The young woman’s faith wavered as she struggled to reconcile her belief in God’s power with the harsh reality of her mother’s condition.
A Christmas Miracle
One day, her friend brought her a Christmas gift package from her church provided by partners closely working with us. The package contained the Gospel of John. As they sat together, the young woman’s mother, lying on the couch, picked up the book and began flipping through its pages. Her eyes fell on the illustration of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. With tears in her eyes, she whispered, “I wish Jesus would wash my feet so that I would be healed.”
The room fell silent. The young woman and her friend exchanged glances, their hearts heavy with hope and doubt. They held the mother’s hands and prayed, “Amen! Why not? God is a great healer, and He can heal you.”
A Dream of Healing
Days later, the young woman had a vivid dream. She saw herself and her mother climbing a mountain, only to slip and fall into a raging river. A man in white appeared, pulling her to safety and instructing her to declare, “Jesus is God.” When she awoke, she found her mother standing on her feet, healed and holding the Gospel of John in her hands. Tears of joy streamed down their faces as they realized a miracle that had taken place.
This story is a testament to the power of faith and the courage of those who risk everything to follow Christ. Despite the fear and persecution, God’s love and healing power broke through, bringing hope and transformation to a family in desperate need.
Prayer Points
Healing and Miracles: Pray for healing and miracles among believers in persecuted regions, that they may experience God’s power and presence in their lives. Ask for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for those who are suffering, and that their faith may be strengthened through these experiences.
Courage and Boldness: Pray for courage and boldness for believers who are living in fear of persecution. Ask that they may find strength in their faith and be willing to share the Gospel with others, despite the risks. Pray for protection over their lives and their families as they navigate these challenges.
Transformation and Revival: Pray for transformation and revival in regions where persecution is prevalent. Ask that the Gospel may spread rapidly and that many may come to know Christ, even in the face of opposition. Pray for the growth of underground churches and that they may be a source of hope and light in their communities.
Something Greater
Nepal is best known for the highest mountain peak on earth, Mount Everest at over 29,000 feet (8848.86 m). This year over 1000 people will crowd the mountain between the beginning of April and the end of May in an effort to reach the summit. It is a dangerous endeavor. Over 200 frozen bodies litter the mountain. Climbers prepare for years honing their skills on smaller mountains before they undertake Everest. The cost to try is from $40,000 to $100,000 to spend two months in below-freezing temperatures and a few brief minutes at the summit, if you are successful.
Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit first in 1953. In a Forbes interview, Hillary said, “Clients are spending a large sum of money just to trek up our route, mainly so they can go back home and boast about it more.” Climbing is a welcome industry in Nepal that attracts adventurers looking to accomplish something “greater.”
What is not particularly welcome in Nepal is a testimony of the power of Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, in whose name salvation resides. Over 80% of the country is Hindu. Less than 2% is Christian.
Imagine believers gathered in a pastor’s home to pray, study, and sing. When suddenly local Hindu extremists surround the house, shouting abusively, demanding the Christians cease their worship, finally torching the home and burning it to the ground. What do you do? You move to a relative’s house where you continue to, quietly and humbly, pray, study, and sing while rebuilding the pastor’s home. You stay the course knowing that God is at work. You live daily prepared to respond to any who would ask “why?’ (1 Peter 3:15).
Christ calls us all to live as our Nepalese brothers and sisters on the frontline of Satan’s attack against His Church. Resolute. Confident in Christ. Given fully to God, all we have, all we own, all we are. Knowing we need look no further. We have found the Greatest. We boast in Christ alone.
