Marut stared out the door of his shop where he sold snacks and various food items, his mind far from the work in front of him. He couldn’t stop thinking about the words of a television preacher he had heard that morning.

The Family Who Had Everything

Marut and his wife, Sahira, belonged to a privileged working class in Asia, and their family had no physical needs due to the profit from their successful grocery business. They lived in a comfortable city home, and both of their children, now full-grown, had been well educated during their childhood. Sahira often prayed, fasted and performed special rituals on her family’s behalf to please and keep the favor of their gods. Altogether, they led happy lives.

That changed only a few months after their daughter, Nakti, married. She had moved in with her new in-laws, as was customary, but they weren’t happy with her. Marut had spent a lot of time, money and effort to arrange a good marriage for his daughter and was deeply hurt when Nakti’s in-laws brought her back to his home one day. They said Nakti was unfit for their son, and they were returning her. Marut and Sahira begged the in-laws to receive Nakti back into their family, but to no avail. Nakti’s in-laws soon left, refusing to take her with them, and Nakti’s husband said nothing about the matter.

Meanwhile, though Marut and Sahira’s son had finished his postgraduate studies in computer science, he couldn’t find a job. The family that seemed to have everything was slowly crumbling apart. Marut and Sahira became so discouraged, in fact, that it began to affect their health.

To make matters worse, Marut’s mother, who also lived with Marut and Sahira, became very sick. She lived life confined to her bed, growing steadily weaker as the days passed.

Hope Found Through a TV Program

For five months, Marut agonized over his daughter’s well-being. One morning while working in his shop, Marut flipped through the TV channels. A certain program caught his attention. There on the screen, a preacher was sharing about the love of the Lord Jesus and praying for people with troubles and sicknesses. Marut didn’t fully understand everything the man on the screen said, but he couldn’t stop thinking about it. He wanted to know more, and he got his chance that afternoon when a familiar friend came to buy groceries from Marut.

The grocer had known Jwala, who was a Christian, for a long time. Marut immediately brought up the television program he had seen that morning, and Jwala happily explained to Marut what the TV preacher had been talking about. Jwala could tell Marut wanted to know more, so he offered to send his son, a Gospel for Asia-supported pastor named Paul, to pray for Marut’s family.

Prayer Results in Miracles

When Pastor Paul visited Marut’s family a few days later, they were eager to hear more. Marut and Sahira told their guest about their troubles, so Paul prayed for them and explained in depth the miracle of Christ’s love and the forgiveness of sin in Jesus. Marut’s family came to understand the power of God during the pastor’s visit, and soon, they experienced His love for themselves.

That very evening, Nakti’s husband called and told her he would come to pick her up and take her back. True to his word, the young man came the next morning and brought her home. What’s more, Marut and Sahira’s son later asked for prayer and found a job to fit his computer skills, helping to construct skyscrapers abroad.

In time, even Marut’s mother began to heal. Her body gained strength, and she started to eat again. Looking at all the wonders the Lord performed in their lives, Marut, Sahira and the entire family believed Jesus is God and began praying to Him daily. In response to the Savior’s love for them, the couple removed all the vestiges of their former faith from their home and embraced their Heavenly Father.

Pastor Paul still visits Marut’s family often to pray with and encourage the family from the Word of God. He also receives calls from Marut’s son and prays for him while he’s working abroad, but Paul isn’t the only one encouraging people. Now Marut shares his testimony with others as he works in his shop and tells his customers about the God who loves them, in the hope that they, too, will find Jesus in his grocery store.

Though Marut’s family members had everything they needed physically, Pastor Paul was able to minister to them when they needed it most. Through Paul’s prayer and encouragement, Marut and his family found comfort in the arms of God. You can help enable another missionary like Paul to bring true hope to the weary and discouraged.

Thanks to Gospel to Asia