...grandson

I learned this afternoon that my grandfather is not doing well. The day after I last saw him (about three weeks ago) he was diagnosed with colon cancer following a colonoscopy. He went under the knife this morning to remove what they believed to be a limited amount of cancer. But, what they found was not what they expected. He has numerous lymph nodes in his sower abdomen that are very swollen (presumably cancer) and there are other cancerous areas the surgeon could not get to. It's in his system... Not good.

So, this has me thinking about my theology on healing. Allow me to backtrack here; about a week ago our church was asked to pray for a little South African boy who has been fighting brain cancer and it's effects. We began praying for him about 8 months ago (at least), when he collapsed while he and his parents were visiting Orlando, FL. He fought hard while surgery and treatment were initiated there in Orlando before he healed well enough to be sent home to S.A. Since then, our church family has been in prayer for him and his family, but no specific word his condition had been communicated to us (at least not to my knowledge). Then this last Wednesday we were informed that he took a turn for the worst. The church was asked to pray, and pray we did. But, I took a long pause as I soaked in all the voices lifting up their requests to heaven.

This is where my grandfather's cancer and this little boy's story connects.

As I was surrounded by people praying that our God would heal this little boy, I couldn't bring myself to pray for his healing. One thought stopped me... and I don't know the correctness or incorrectness of it yet. I don't really think there is a correct or incorrect side of this thought anyway.

"God, either miraculously heal him, totally and completely, right now... or just take him home to be with you. He's a kid and has been fighting this horrendous battle for long enough. So, take care of it once and for all right now, one way or the other."

My grandfather is 86 years old, has been in full-time pastoral and evangelical ministry for more than 60 years, has visited about a 100 countries in ministry (give or take), seen countless hundreds, if not thousands, come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, has loved... lost... and loved again, has seen all of his children and grandchildren come to the Lord, and has eleven beautiful great-grandchildren.

"Honestly, God, either miraculously heal him, totally and completely, right now... or just take him home to be with you. At his age, there's no need for him to fight this horrendous battle that will most likely leave him with less , physically, emotionally and mentally, than what he has now. He's fought for the Kingdom all his life. So, if he's done fighting for the Kingdom, let him take his armor off and come sit with the King."

I love you Papa...