An Open Letter to Cancer.

Dear Cancer,

I have wanted to tell you what I think of you for a very long time - probably since you first stuck your evil cells into my Aunt Bonnie - but I've held my tongue for years as you continued to do your wicked work all around me.  But now it's time to say my peace because you've gone and done it again.  As we say down here, you've done messed with the wrong guy.  You may be complex, you may come in a myriad of forms, you may hide yourself for years, but ultimately you need put in your place.  And today I feel like doing that.

A few days ago we learned you were working your evil in the life of one a bunch of us love.  You are attacking our shepherd, and you need to know - this flock isn't having it.  I'll give it to you - you swept our feet out from under us this week, but what you may not have realized is that our bottoms landed on the firm foundation that even you can't shake.  We're bruised and battered, but wounds have never stopped us before.  Actually, wounds on hands and feet are what compel us to stand up, dust ourselves off, and lift our voices in praise again.  We were down, but so not out.

You exalt yourself with a description of "rare" and "aggressive".  You have no idea.  You want rare?

This is what the LORD says - Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty; I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God."  Isaiah 44:6

For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God? Psalm 18:31

But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King... Jeremiah 10:10

And "aggressive"?  Oh, clearly you haven't heard how our God aggressively defends, protects, and seeks those He loves.  There is nothing God wouldn't give, including His only Son, in fervent pursuit of reconciliation with His children.  Our God has parted seas, paused the sun, confused the enemy, given sight to the blind, and brought Jesus back from the dead (The dead!  You hear that?  You got no game!).  You, Cancer, have no idea what "aggressive" really means.

You've hurt and taken so many from me - spiritual giants like Peter Macky, Badarah McCandless, Don Greendahl.  And you have once again attacked someone who sits at the healing hem of Jesus.   Really?  You don't get it.  You are not a period at the end of a life, but the briefest pause of a comma between good and best.  Dr. Macky, Dr. McCandless, and Mr. Greendahl would testify that you are nothing...but they are too busy basking in the presence of the One who ultimately owns your ass in a place where your name is not even a whisper of a thought.  Take a battle if you must.  We're focused on a war.  And it's one we always win.

His Name and His science are revealed more and more each day on earth, and both are nipping at your heels.  Your time is short.  Our time is eternal.  All over the world voices are being raised - listen closely and you'll hear it.  Children in Haiti and Uganda once claimed by your cohorts Loneliness and Rejection are joining their free voices with us in prayer and praise, and no matter how you grow or spread or overtake - you will never shut them up.  They are redeemed.  And like us, the redeemed have business to do. 

Go ahead.  Revel for now in your temporary victory, because that is all we will afford you.  These tears in our eyes are merely clearing our vision, and you just stirred a pot that was already bubbling.  Consider yourself warned.

Cancer, you suck.

Sincerely,
Me





Comments

Renovation GIrl said…
Wow, Ann, just...wow. This is a powerful.