Luke 22:31,32 says, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded {permission} to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."
Tammi’s devotion from Rest Ministries yesterday really hit a “chord” with Barb and I,as we have experienced severe loneliness and loss of relationship since my cancer diagnosis and I was “re-reminded” of it in a huge way this past week when I ran into someone who, prior to my cancer, we considered our “best friends”, his wife is actually a breast cancer survivor and I remember the “saints” of our church ministering to their family while they went through this, but when I received my diagnosis, my “best friend” said “he could not handle it”and so, I have not seen or heard from him, nor Barb, from his wife since finding out I had cancer.
Seeing him this week reminded me of the fact that the “church” (the body of believers) is not really carrying their weight and failing miserably in this area of ministry to those who are sick and for some reason, they look at illness as a “lack of faith” and/or “contagious” and if we hang with these people, we may end up like them. I have to say that I would not change my position that I am in today for anything. God has worked in me, in 2 & 1/2 years, what would normally take a lifetime to work in people and many people even some Christians never will “get it”!
I’m not trying to make this blog a “pity party”. It’s just a reality, and we need to speak about it. It’s reality and it’s rampant in the “church body”. Very sad! This is NOT to say that this type of ministry is not going on but it seem, not only to me, but a large group of others, going through some kind of pain and suffering, are experiencing the same things.
So, when I saw this “friend” of mine this week, I actually stopped him and asked him why he never contacted us in the last 2 & 1/2 years and his reply was “that’s just the wimpy side of me.” Well I do not remember reading anywhere in my bible where Jesus said, "All the Wimps line up on this side and all the strong Christians line up on the other side. I will not share with you what I told him after that, but I did speak the “truth” to him, and I feel pretty safe in saying that he probably is thinking long and hard about his role as a Christian man today!
Now with all of that being said, I could not stop this blog without telling you about the people that GOD has brought into our lives. People we would have never met or had the chance for fellowship or ministering to if I had not been given this cancer. And so, even though I do NOT like this cancer situation, would I go back to 2-1/2 years and miss out on what God did bless Barb and I with? NO WAY. Do I want to beat this cancer? You bet! But I am grateful for the road he has brought Barb and I to and through so far, and my only prayer is that we can continue to minister to the hurting, the sick, the poor, the needy. Just remember some day as you lean down to pray with someone who is hurting, you may by “entertaining” an angel.
Some may take offense at these comments and that is NOT my intention. Rather I would like to raise awareness that Christian men and women may miss out of "sitting with an angel" if they fail to follow the scripture verse above. It is easy to see that those who are ill and hurting are trying to be good stewards of God's presence in their lives.
Dave
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