Three ladies were in the right place a year and a half ago when I found out I had cancer. It’s one of the many details the Lord had orchestrated to show His care for me. These ladies are public servants ministering to God’s people as they enter our church each week. Moreover “my ladies” have all been through cancer at least once, yet continue to abound in the work of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:58) Remarkably, I met them just weeks before my diagnosis through the decision to serve in that same greeting ministry. When I shared the diagnosis, they embraced me, prayed with me and one even told me she wished she could take it from me and bear it herself. Amazing! (Who willingly wants to sacrifice himself for another? This is the heart of true love; this is the heart of God, demonstrated perfectly in Jesus!) The fruit of the Holy Spirit is definitely fully ripe on the trees of these three ladies. Two of them sat with me and drove me home from a few chemo treatments. All of them tell me they never stop praying for me.
Today, I discovered cancer had recently returned in force to one of my ladies, residing in two places. Even though she has to start chemo again, her spirit remains upbeat and focused on Christ. As I heard the news, a couple thoughts ran through my mind. First, cancer is a nasty beast that wishes to devour and consume the host it inhabits much like sin desires to destroy our souls. Secondly, just like cancer requires a stronger adversary to kill it, likewise sin can only be overcome when an individual yields to the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said the Holy Spirit is our Helper and Comforter, but He also said the Spirit will convict us of sin, righteousness and judgment. (John 16) We all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10) and if we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. The Lord God does not wish any to perish in their sinful state and invites each person ever born, before they die to accept His free and full grace. Sadly, many do not. Rejecting the Holy Spirit is the only unpardonable sin. It makes sense. Why would God forgive anyone who chooses to reject His love and forgiveness, essentially spitting in His face until their dying day? The good news, no great news is “my lady” who again faces a somewhat familiar physical foe, wholeheartedly believes Jesus died for her and this gives her everlasting peace.
Another much asked question perhaps by some reading this is why should someone so good suffer so much? The very real answer is that we live in a broken world that has been marred because of man’s disobedience. We can’t blame Adam and Eve. We are born rebellious and self –centered. We see the results of such behaviors all around us with greed, wars and deceitful practices on the rise. Yet God did not abandon us. Jesus said “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) He can only make His home in those who want Him to live there.
Our Lord told us we would have trouble in this world but fear not; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) By the revelation of the Holy Spirit my three ladies and I know for certain that Jesus is the resurrection and the life and if we believe in Him we will never die. (John 11:25) If we have hope in this life only we would be miserable. The human body is matter in a contained state and over time it becomes more wild and less stable. Just look in the mirror and you see the effects of that fact. The Christian has hope of eternity with Jesus and Heaven where there is more crying, pain or death. (Revelation 21)
My three ladies are one of the reasons I wanted to start a support group within a short time after I learned I had cancer. Hearts knit together in the love of Jesus Christ, bearing one another’s burdens is a treasure in clay jars, in earthen vessels such as we are. Nothing on earth can measure up to the work of God in and through the human spirit. Amazing love! Amazing God!
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