Wednesday morning started with a phone call from Brian, a former graduate student and dear friend. He was calling to tell me the latest on his dad (age 58) who had been diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer late last year. At that time, we prayed for his dad at the healing and wholeness service at our church. My wife Della had mailed a copy of one of our favorite books to his dad. The book, by Dodie Osteen, is a short but divinely-inspired text on Biblical healing of illness and how she had been healed of cancer years ago.
On this early morning, Brian called to tell me that his dad, after three rounds of chemo, was in full remission. What a praise!!! The news was peppered with a bit of sadness. The doctors tell Jack that this type of cancer usually comes back. Moreover, from time of diagnosis, people with this type of cancer live an average of 11 months. So while he is in remission and is feeling good, the doctors are obligated to give the usual gloom and doom news that goes along with a stomach cancer diagnosis.
I told Brian that the doctors have to tell you that; it's what they do. They live in a world where most everyone they deal with ... dies. That's okay. I told Brian that just like we prayed and expected a miracle for his dad to eradicate his cancer, we would pray that God totally heal him from this sickness. And we will; we continue to believe in God's might power and grace. Despite what the doctors were saying, I would take this as a gift from God to Brian and his family; his dad was healed. Brian had told his Mom and Dad that they needed to go and live life as victors in the chess game of cancer. Amen!
The day ended on a different, yet God-inspired note. I attended a business dinner with about five other individuals. I was the Liberal Arts dean that was assigned to this particular group. That night, one of the dinner guests arrived and, as I introduced myself to her, she told me that she knew who I was because we went to church together.
I confess that although she looked a little familiar, I could not place her. If I had seen her in church, I couldn't remember where. We all had dinner, but upon leaving, I had a chance to visit with her a bit more. She told me that she had seen me in worship but also that she had participated in a small group once and that my wife and I were really nice to her there. Still puzzled, I asked which small group. She told me it was the healing and wholeness service that my wife and I attend faithfully. On that particular night, at the service, my wife (who visits the bookstore regularly at our church) had given her a book to read. She told me that the book really helped her through a tough time. AHA, I then remembered instantly that she had been in a breakout group one night during our healing service. And we had prayed for her and her healing several months ago. And here she was, in good spirits, healed and victorious in God's grace.
Two gifts of healing, one day, all from one Amazing God.
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