The Choice of Life or Death
Deuteronomy 30:11 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
A woman has put off her dreaded appointment – the one with the cancer doctor.
Finally after some urging she makes the call and goes into the hospital for those tests. Now all there is to do is wait for the results – the call from the doctor.
A hopeful call the same afternoon is unsuccessful. No word. We must wait until tomorrow.
Morning. No call. (How could these medical people be so unfeeling for one waiting for an answer that seems like a choice of life or death? How can they take so long?)
Finally late in the afternoon the doctor calls.
Conversation. Sounds good. (He asks her some questions about what she eats.) NO cancer.
What a blessing had been given to her just six years ago in answer to her prayer.
She did have cancer, then. She had treatments and love and patience for the patient. She had the answer of blessing to her prayer. The Lord healed her brokenness. The Lord healed her cancer. The Lord blessed her.
Now… after receiving the freeing news once more, the Lord has once more kept her from cancer.
It is the Lord who has kept her, though she did not witness His power and love.. though she never mentioned her Great Healer… though she rejected His blessing.
Deuteronomy 30
New King James Version (NKJV) excerpt
The Blessing of Returning to God
“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you…
and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today…
6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Jesus likely thanked our Heavenly Father for healing these who were sick and for His casting out the demons from their tormented souls.
Do you pray?
What is your prayer?
Do you ask for blessing and not curse? Do you ask for casting out of your demons or do you rely on those who have brought curse into your house? Are you friend of the world? OR Do you really pray to God for the blessing and healing and grace to free you from your cancer of sin?
And what, therefore, do you do when the Lord answers your prayer?
Matthew 12
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Return of an Unclean Spirit
43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
Luke 17
English Standard Version (ESV)
Temptations to Sin
And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, 4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”
I was once a blessing to one with cancer. The Lord sent me.
Then the Lord also sent cancer to me. (Surely it was a curse.)
But then the doctors removed my tumor. For this I thank the Lord for healing.
Thank you, Lord. (It is small offering for the great blessing from your love and mercy, the blessing of your healing grace.)
I am witness to Christ Jesus and praise Him for His great mercy.
Yet what of my Blessing? (For I am greatly grieved.) We do love her.
