Healed Without Surgery

Mira couldn’t muster a smile as Stephanie and Lucas, Frontiers field workers, arrived at her family’s home for their weekly Bible study.

Stephanie seemed to sense her stress and leaned in to ask, “How’s your father?”

Tears welled up in Mira’s eyes. Her father, who had been in a car accident years before, had been suffering from debilitating pain in recent months.

“He’s not doing well,” Mira said as a tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. “He shakes from the pain and sometimes even faints. The doctors say a bone in his neck is pressing on his spinal cord, and he needs surgery.”

Stephanie’s eyes filled with compassion. “Are the doctors hopeful the surgery will help?”

“Let’s pray that Mira’s father won’t need surgery.”

“It’s going to be risky.” Mira’s voice trembled. “If it doesn’t go well, he could lose his hearing or his sight. He might even be paralyzed.”

Wrapping a comforting arm around her friend, Stephanie asked, “How can I pray for you and your father?”

Mira asked her to pray that the surgery would go well, and Stephanie promised that she would.

When the rest of the group arrived, they opened their Bibles to Acts 3 and took turns reading the story of Peter and John healing a lame man.

Mira wondered if Jesus had even heard their prayer.

Mira sighed. If only Jesus would heal her father the way He had healed the man in the story.

As they often did at the end of their time together, each member of the group shared a specific prayer request.

“In light of our reading, let’s pray that Mira’s father won’t need surgery and that he’ll be healed in the name of Jesus,” Stephanie suggested.

Mira had a sense of hope despite her fear. Perhaps Jesus would hear their prayer and provide healing.

But as the days passed without any change for the better, Mira wondered if Jesus had even heard their prayer. Or maybe He simply didn’t care.

The doctor shook his head. “I can’t explain it.”

On the day of the surgery, Mira sat with her father in his room at the hospital, trying not to watch the uncontrollable tremors in his leg. Her heart wrenched at the pain and worry on his face, which made him look years older.

A door squeaked as a nurse entered to take him to prepare for the surgery. Mira tried to give her father a brave smile as she squeezed his hand and watched the nurse wheel him away, but she worried that he would come back disabled.

Settling in for a long, anxious wait, Mira jumped when her father was wheeled into the waiting room a short time later. “What’s wrong?” she cried.

“My heart rate was too high.” He sighed. “I have to come back in two days.”

But two days later, the same thing happened. Then it happened again. And again.

She told everyone who would listen about the miracle she had witnessed.

Mira walked through the hospital more than a week after his original appointment and mentally prepared for her father to be prepped for surgery for the fifth time.

She pushed open the door of his room and gasped. Her father was sitting up with a wide smile on his face.

“What’s going on?”

“The pain is gone! And look.” He pointed at his leg, which no longer shook. “I woke up feeling completely well.”

Just then, a doctor entered the room with a perplexed expression. “I have the results from your X-rays,” he said. “It appears that your vertebra has moved away from your spinal cord.”

Now Mira has a second Bible study each week—one she leads for extended family.

“How?” Mira exclaimed.

The doctor shook his head. “I can’t explain it. But you’ll be released today.”

Mira and her father looked at each other. A grin broke out on Mira’s face. “Praise God for His healing!”

Mira knew that the incredible turn of events was an answer to prayer. And she told everyone who would listen about the miracle she had witnessed and all that Jesus had done. Several family members even asked to hear more about Jesus after seeing the change in her father’s health.

Now Mira has a second Bible study each week—one she leads for extended family. Together, they are reading more about Jesus’ mighty power and learning to trust in His name.

• Ask God to continue showing His power in the Muslim world to draw people to Him.
• Praise the Lord for healing Mira’s father in a way that only He could.
• Pray for Mira’s family to continue studying the Bible together and seeking Jesus.