Bible Study - Mk. 4 38 A Gospel Illustration of Faith

A Beach Encounter : 

A Beach Encounter Adapted from: Chicken Soup for the Christian Family - Mia Watkins

November on the Beach : 

November on the Beach One crisp, early November morning I took a brisk walk on a beach near my home. I had just been divorced. I had two daughters when I was diagnosed with cancer. Treatment failed but surgery had worked and I recovered and was given a clean bill of health. Now I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and the HMO offered no treatment or hope. My husband wasn’t able to cope with all these problems and even beat me once to unconsciousness.

The Man : 

The Man God had been my strength and anchor during these ordeals. I knew He was walking with me, that He would never leave or forsake me, and He knew all about my wounds and hurts. It was His peace that had carried me thus far. In the distance, I spotted a man, his shoulders were shaking, he was sobbing and apparently in great agony. He was in his forties, in blue jeans, T-shirt, short hair and clean shaved.

Agony : 

Agony “Are you all right? Can I help you with something?” He kept staring at the ocean. “I have melanoma,” he said. “They are going to amputate my leg. His name was John, he was single and alone in the world. I noticed he was wearing a necklace made from old string with a cross on it. “Where did you get that, John?”

John : 

John “I made it in a foxhole in Vietnam, all my buddies had been killed and I needed to get my mind off my troubles, so I made it and prayed as I waited to be rescued. “When you were praying, did you believe God heard you?” “I don’t know,” he said, “my life was spared, but what for?” I explained, as best as I could what the Bible had to say about good, evil, war and disease. As I spoke I was strangely aware that these weren’t my own words pouring out of my mouth.

Words : 

Words They came with compassion and conviction that weren’t my own. God was there with us, explaining His love and care to this desperate young man. “John,” I said gently, “you’ve been through a lot and you are facing a lot more. You need someone to lean on, to support you. You need Jesus as your friend. You can trust Him, and He loves you, John. God is there for you. Jesus, His son, died, so that we may have peace and eternal life.”

Talk, Prayer & a Bible : 

Talk, Prayer & a Bible I told John about my life. “I couldn’t have made it without God’s help and support. Gently, I led him in a prayer of forgiveness and surrender. We both wept, but this time John’s tears were not tears of sorrow but tears of relief and peace. I was amazed at this transformation and in awe that God had used me in this way. “It’s very important that you find a good church, get a Bible and start reading it.”

The Bible : 

The Bible I tore a deposit slip from my checkbook, wrote down my telephone number and handed it to John. “Call me,” I said. “We’ll talk and I can also get you a Bible.” I left him, then he ran after me. “You know, he said, “you are an angel who dropped in from heaven.” Slowly he took his necklace off and handed it to me. Tears came to my eyes. I was overwhelmed, I knew I couldn’t refuse to take it. I put it on my lamp at home and prayed that God would keep him safe and in the center of His will.

Address? : 

Address? I didn’t hear from John again, but in spring an envelope, without a return address, arrived. Inside was a card, my crumpled deposit slip and a note: John went to be with the Lord. Three years later, I received a mysterious Christmas card. Again without a return address. Inside was a handwritten note that said: I am eternally grateful for my son’s eternal life. I’m John’s mother, and now I attend his church.

Faith : 

Faith Our woman with the hemorrhage had faith in God. Mia had the same kind of faith and she didn’t keep it to herself, she passed it on to John. John then passed it on to his mother. Who did the mother pass it on to? Was it you?