When I lived in Japan, one afternoon, without warning, I got a hurried call from a church member. She was in the area with her daughter and wondered if they could stop by. I agreed, and seconds later the doorbell rang - they must have been in the parking lot already. I invited them in, and we exchanged pleasantries. I had heard about her adult daughter, but today, I was meeting her for the first time.

I sensed some urgency to the visit, but neither of them was giving me any clues as to what it might be. I introduced myself and asked questions, but got little response. Was this just a social call? She shared about a health concern she was facing, and I prayed for her. Was that what this was all about? I didn’t know what to say, so finally, I asked whether I might read a portion of Scripture with them. It was one of those times where you take a chance, not knowing how the person will respond or what God might do.

I turned to Mark 5:24-34, the story of Jesus’ healing of the woman with a discharge of blood. I talked about how the woman had suffered physically for twelve years (v. 25). I talked about the emotional drain of always being considered “unclean,” and therefore excluded and isolated. I shared about the desperation she had in going to doctors, using up her savings, only to get worse instead of better (v. 26). We talked together about what she might have heard about Jesus (v. 27) to believe that in merely touching Jesus’ garment, she might be made well (v. 28). We talked about the joy she must have felt in experiencing healing (v. 29) and how it quickly would have turned to fear and shame when she heard Jesus ask (v. 31), “Who touched me?” And finally, we looked at Jesus’ tender words saying, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease” (v. 34), and what faith in Jesus meant and why it was so crucial.

As we looked at the passage together, the daughter spoke little but wept often. It was clear that she was deeply moved but not ready for a commitment. The visit ended naturally, and they parted as quickly as they had come. It was the first and last time that I ever met the daughter. But years later, I got a letter from her mother. It was a report of the daughter’s wedding.

At the wedding, the bride and groom had made a speech, and in it, the bride paused at one point and said, “And for my mother, I’d like to quote the words of Jesus, ‘Your faith has made you well, go in peace.’” The mother wrote to me because she recognized these words as being from the passage I had shared with them that afternoon. To my knowledge, the daughter has never been to a church. And I only had one opportunity to share the gospel with her from the Bible. And yet, after all this time, God’s Word continues to rest with her – I pray still urging her, still inviting her, still moving her the way it did when I first shared it.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. - Romans 10:17

It was a testimony to me of the power of the Word of God. She didn’t remember my words. She wasn’t moved by my words. She may not even remember ever having met me. But years later, the Word of God continues to remain with her.

It made me remember that my witness to the gospel must eventually lead to and ultimately rest on the words of Scripture. I often find myself in situations where I don’t what to say and where my words don’t feel adequate. When I don’t know what to say, God’s Word is always worth sharing. The gospel is always worth declaring. It has the power to save!

In awe of Him,

Paul