Cancer: Can and Cant’s

My Best friend inspired me to write this…

I have never been touched directly or indirectly by cancer…not until this year. No, I don’t have cancer. God in his great wisdom decided to indirectly show me what cancer is all about. We tend to think cancer as a huge, insurmountable monster. In some ways this is very true.

In the book of Mark 5:24-34, is the story of a lady with a bleeding sickness. She knew that if she just touched Jesus clothes she’d be healed and in verse 34 it reads… He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Her condition may or may not have been the result of cancer. Cancer is a disease that can do many of the same things this lady endured.

In verse 25 it says she suffered 12 years. Most health issues we deal with are on a short run. A cold lasts a few days; the flu maybe a week to ten days and some injuries may take several months heal. People with Cancer are in a tough and grinding marathon. It is there every morning and every evening for days, weeks, months, and years. It involves Outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, Surgeries, Recovery, etc.

Cancer can touch your status: This woman’s condition meant that she was considered religiously unclean and anyone who touched her would be considered unclean. This woman’s condition meant she could not bear children. And thus she lost a lot of the status and respect women had in that society.

Maybe it is the physical toll of chemo and radiation. Some cancer patients feel as if folks treat them as if their condition is contagious. Worst of all, there are those who would say that your cancer is the result of some kind of sin in your life for which you are being punished; if you just had enough faith God would heal you.

Cancer can touch your finances: She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. Mark 5:26.
Medical treatments are expensive. Even if you have good insurance, the out of pocket expenses are a challenge.

Cancer can touch your strength: In the above verse, it states…”…she grew worse” Cancer patients know well that in facing their disease they can get worse before they get better. The effects of chemotherapy and radiation, at times, are worse than the disease itself.

In my eyes, those with cancer are heroic. They would never choose this battle. But they face it daily. It is the greatest physical challenge and stands above other physical, financial, emotional accomplishments of a life. Those who face it head on experience their greatest hour.

But guess what….THAT”S ALL THAT CANCER CAN DO!

Cancer CANT touch your Faith: When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Mark 5:27-28 Jesus affirmed that it was her faith that made her well.

And without faith it is impossible to please God Hebrews 11:6a. Don’t get the idea that cancer is due to a lack of faith. Great faith is not the pleasure of the mountain top. Great faith is moving forward in our struggles. I would not wish illness on anyone, but it is in this battle that our strength increases.

Cancer CAN’T touch love: One of the products of cancer is the love of relationships. Helping hurting people brings out the best in us. It shakes up our priorities, reminding us that the greatest things in life are not things at all.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Cancer CAN’T touch eternity: there is only one way to overcome death and that is through Jesus. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, Romans 6:5

We must always remember… Are position on Earth is not – the land of the living to die. Are position on Earth IS - the land of the dying and by grace we are going to the living...Eternal Life.

When I lived in Muskegon Michigan, my neighbor was a very angry man. I didn’t know it at the time but he had lung cancer and they had given him 6 months to live…incurable. 3 days before he passed away his church minister came and prayed healing over him. As I said, he died three days later. He told me just before he died that those were the best 3 days of his life. The last 3 days were the most peaceful and joyful days of his life

Why? Because God didn’t cure him but God healed him. To be cured is to remove disease from the body, but to be “Healed by God” is a complete provision of wholeness!

Yes, there are a few Cancer cans but they are overcome by the power of the Cancer Cant’s!