Today's passage is probably the one that had the most effect on me, and has had ongoing blessings ever since. It has deepened my faith, and has given me new encouragements to speak out about God to my non-Christian friends.
A close friend recently discovered that her breast cancer had returned, and initial concerns were that it was now in her lungs. She and her husband had been told it would be terminal if it was in her lungs, and had been given a very bleak prognosis. She was understandably devastated, particularly as she still has relatively young children – our daughters have grown up together.
I had arranged to go and visit her on her birthday, and before I went I had been studying the passage in Mark 2 about the men who lowered their crippled friend through the roof to Jesus. You can read the story in Mark 2:1-12. We were encouraged to picture ourselves as one of the characters, and I really related to those men. I was desperate for my friend to know Jesus, to feel his healing touch and the peace He could bring in such uncertainty. I knew I had to somehow get her closer to Jesus, and so I prayed before I went, and in the car outside her house, that God would guide my words and actions and that I would be able to bring God's peace and healing touch to her. We spent the afternoon talking, crying, hugging and thinking about the future. At times I was at a complete loss as to what to say and said some really silly things, but we still had a laugh in the midst of the tears.
When the time came for me to leave I was amazed when she stood up with a huge smile on her face and said she had no idea what had happened, but she felt so much more at peace since I'd arrived. She texted me later on too and said she truly believed I was some kind of angel looking after her, and that my visit had made her feel so much more positive. I told her I wasn't an angel, but that I did believe that peace was from God, and that as well as me praying there would also be many people from church continuing to pray for her. A week later she was told her cancer was not in her lungs and that her prognosis was far better than originally thought. Praise God! I've since been able to pray with her and she is very touched that so many are praying for her, and she is aware of the peace that is bringing.
I've learned it's not so scary to talk about God with my non-Christian friends, and certainly from this example they can be far more open than you expect. And God honoured that step of faith too, and went way beyond my expectations.
Why not give it a go yourself this week – go on – I dare you!
Corinne Mason
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