Cancer. Very few words strike terror in our hearts like the word cancer. It is a dreaded disease, with sometimes dreaded results.
My first experience with cancer was when I was in my twenties, and I had a friend, also in his twenties. He worked on a cruise ship and developed a spot on the back of his neck. This was soon diagnosed as Melanoma, a form of skin cancer. My friend died within months. This was a long time ago, and incredible advances in cancer treatment have taken place since then. And perhaps that spot went undiagnosed too long before he sought treatment. But images of this young man suffering so before he died will be with me forever.
In my years of ministry, I have made more pastoral visits to people with cancer than for any other reason. Currently I am seeing a dear friend and member of our church who is fighting Leukemia. She has been through a lot, but she has a long way to go. Her faith is strong, and she believes that God will bring her through this – I believe she’s right. She is in my daily prayers, as she is in the daily prayers of many.
My father was just recently diagnosed with cancer in his nose. He is receiving radiation daily, and at this point he is about half way through his treatments. His prognosis is very good. But it’s a scary thing to fight such a dreaded word. Undoubtedly you know people who fought this word, perhaps people who are fighting it now.
According to Wikipedia, cancer is a class of disease or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to spread. In other words, for some reason yet unknown to science, our cells start going crazy, multiplying out of control, and spreading to other parts of our body, apparetly encouraging those cells to go crazy and multiply out of control too.
As I think about cancer, I think there is a spiritual equivalant in the Body of Christ today. Whenever someone goes off on their own to serve God in their own way, they are that cancer. Whenever we do things for God, instead of following His lead and doing things with God, we are that cancer. If Christ is the head of the church, we should be servng Christ. Following His lead. Going where He leads. Doing what He directs. Anything else, and we are acting outside of His control. Parts of the Body acting out on their own, uncontroled. That’s cancer.
Are you guilty of being cancer in your church. Are you close to God, following His lead, speaking to Him regularly through prayer, listening to Him regularly through reading Scripture and reflection, seeking confirmation through his Body at a local church? If not, how do you know you are doing His will, and not just your own will? How do you know you are not a form cancer that is eating away at the Body of Christ?
My first experience with cancer was when I was in my twenties, and I had a friend, also in his twenties. He worked on a cruise ship and developed a spot on the back of his neck. This was soon diagnosed as Melanoma, a form of skin cancer. My friend died within months. This was a long time ago, and incredible advances in cancer treatment have taken place since then. And perhaps that spot went undiagnosed too long before he sought treatment. But images of this young man suffering so before he died will be with me forever.
In my years of ministry, I have made more pastoral visits to people with cancer than for any other reason. Currently I am seeing a dear friend and member of our church who is fighting Leukemia. She has been through a lot, but she has a long way to go. Her faith is strong, and she believes that God will bring her through this – I believe she’s right. She is in my daily prayers, as she is in the daily prayers of many.
My father was just recently diagnosed with cancer in his nose. He is receiving radiation daily, and at this point he is about half way through his treatments. His prognosis is very good. But it’s a scary thing to fight such a dreaded word. Undoubtedly you know people who fought this word, perhaps people who are fighting it now.
According to Wikipedia, cancer is a class of disease or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to spread. In other words, for some reason yet unknown to science, our cells start going crazy, multiplying out of control, and spreading to other parts of our body, apparetly encouraging those cells to go crazy and multiply out of control too.
As I think about cancer, I think there is a spiritual equivalant in the Body of Christ today. Whenever someone goes off on their own to serve God in their own way, they are that cancer. Whenever we do things for God, instead of following His lead and doing things with God, we are that cancer. If Christ is the head of the church, we should be servng Christ. Following His lead. Going where He leads. Doing what He directs. Anything else, and we are acting outside of His control. Parts of the Body acting out on their own, uncontroled. That’s cancer.
Are you guilty of being cancer in your church. Are you close to God, following His lead, speaking to Him regularly through prayer, listening to Him regularly through reading Scripture and reflection, seeking confirmation through his Body at a local church? If not, how do you know you are doing His will, and not just your own will? How do you know you are not a form cancer that is eating away at the Body of Christ?
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