Ravi Zacharias' spinal surgery Thursday, Feb. 20, was successful, according to a post from his wife, Margie. She said her husband is now in recovery.

"On behalf of Ravi and our family and team, we are truly overwhelmed and deeply grateful for your outpouring of concern, encouragement, and especially your prayers for Ravi's spinal surgery today," Margie wrote.

"The surgery is complete and went smoothly, though it was long. I told the surgeon afterwards that he looked tired and he said, 'Ravi gave us a lot of work to do!' Ravi is well and he is resting. The doctor anticipates his pain now will be from the surgery itself, and we are praying for relief and comfort as Ravi begins the recovery process.

"Thank you again for your love and your prayers. It all means so much. I know the Lord has been present in the OR today, and I pray that He will give Ravi the ability to handle what is ahead for the next several weeks."

Ravi Zacharias, renowned apologist for the Christian faith, asked for prayer Wednesday for his Thursday surgery, saying he had been struggling with serious back issues for years. He has had two surgeries prior to this one, but they didn't solve the problem.

The surgery Thursday was to remove two of the screws that were loose and anchor his fractured sacrum in two places to the pelvis. Doctors were confident of the success of the surgery, which will reportedly keep him from traveling for up to eight weeks.

Read his original post asking for prayer on Wednesday:

View this post on Instagram

Dear Friends, Many of you know that I have had serious back issues and struggled after two surgeries. Recently the pain has intensified and I have battled several flare-ups. This Thursday I will undergo emergency spinal repair surgery and will be recovering until the beginning of April. I seldom talk about personal challenges but am making an exception because I know you will pray for me—and for my family and the @rzimhq team. Thank you for serving our Lord alongside Margie and me. Your prayers mean more than you'll ever know. The wear and tear of travel are literal and figurative. I will keep you posted from time to time. I thank God for great medical expertise and look forward to a speedy recovery and being on the road again. But for now it's time to face the pain and the discipline of healing. Ezekiel asks the question, "Can these dead bones live?" The answer is a resounding "Yes" as God breathes new life into them. The Lord has never forsaken me and He is by my side. I am a blessed man. As I recover, I will pray, read, and write. I share an update on the blog (link in profile).

A post shared by Ravi Zacharias (@ravizacharias) on Feb 19, 2020 at 11:16am PST

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