Here We Go Again!, October 29
Inside the Cancer Journey: Daily Reflections for Those Coping with Cancer
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By Dan Held
Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it (Judges 16:30 NIV).
Whether we’re talking about comic books or blockbuster movies, dreaded enemies too often have a way of showing up again and again. They’re like the Philistines from the Bible, always showing back up to battle God’s people, the Israelites. Perhaps you remember the story of Delilah betraying the mighty Samson, leaving him weak, captured, and sentenced to die. As a last request, God gave Samson the strength to pull apart the pillars of the pagan temple, crushing the enemy inside. Those were Philistines. Yet, that wasn’t the actual end of the Philistines, was it? Hold your applause. Years later, a young boy named David slayed a giant named Goliath—the champion of the Philistines. Surely, that got rid of them. No, not even close.
There are over 250 more references of this dreaded opponent of the Israelites recorded in the Old Testament. Just when it looks like the Philistines are no more, here they come again. And here go the Israelites back into battle against their dreaded foe.
When her breast cancer surgeries were over, my wife, Sue, and I were both relieved to know that the cancer was gone. Her lymph nodes were clean. No cancer. Surely all would be well.
And it was—for nearly three years. She had beaten the cancer. All signs were good. Until.
A colonoscopy revealed a mass at the top of her ascending colon that looked suspicious. Located just across from her pancreas, she would need surgery to remove it, along with her entire ascending colon. As was feared, the surgeon came back with the finding. It was definitely cancer, the good news being it had not penetrated the wall of her colon. All was contained. Sue would be in the recovery room briefly pending her in-patient admission.
As a caregiver awaiting Sue’s hospital room assignment, I began to think of cancer something like the people of Israel may have thought of the Philistines. “Here we go again,” I told myself. A dreaded enemy had made its return. Now what? And then what? She had defeated breast cancer. With God’s help, this next battle with colon cancer would be won. But then?
The answer was for me the same as for the people of Israel. Then, God. Always God.
For you, His precious child, the Lord is a mighty warrior. He is not taken by surprise by your circumstances, and stands ready to lead you through them, step by step and day by day—just as He spoke to His people through the prophet Isaiah:
The Lord will go forth like a warrior,
He will arouse His zeal like a man of war.
He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry.
He will prevail against His enemies. (Isaiah 42:13 NASB)
Three years have now passed. No more cancer. Not even any more polyps in this year’s colonoscopy! I have all the more reason to change my thinking from “Here we go again” to this: “Here God goes again!”
Pray: Everlasting God, when we hear about the return of cancer as a dreaded enemy, we think of how the Philistines returned again and again in Scripture—even producing a Goliath one time. And so You worked to defeat them, again and again and again. We need You to do the same for us today, and again and again. We thank You as always. Amen.
Your Turn: On a clean sheet of paper write these words: “Cancer again?” Now turn the paper over and on the other side, write these words: “GOD AGAIN!” Place that paper where you can see it as needed.
Dan Held, Cancer Caregiver
Dan is a cancer caregiver who lives with his wife (Sue) of 55 years in Dayton, Ohio, where Sue has been free from breast cancer and colon cancer for two years! Dan is an ordained pastor and a licensed therapist with a heart for families touched by cancer at any stage. He is dedicated to promoting the message of more love and less fear in all aspects of his ministry and life. Check out his blog at www.danielkheld.com.
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