What Cancer Cannot Do

He hits the big ones first. Death and life. That’s what we need to remember this morning. Let’s remember the big things that cannot separate us from the love of God. This is not just true for Nancy, who I can imagine rejoicing in the presence of the Lord right now.

But it’s true for the Reed family, grieving, but not grieving as those who have no hope. It’s true for the rest of us, because we’ve lost a member of our family, too.

Our church family. And I don’t know about the rest of you, but my church family is precious, and as the Word of God clearly states, we rejoice with those who rejoice, and we weep with those who weep.

This morning we might weep, but we know that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Which is another way of saying what Willard said to us 9 years ago. Cancer cannot cripple love.... nothing can. His death and resurrection for us is proof of that.

Another thing on Willard’s list that morning was this: Cancer cannot corrode faith.

He mentioned that though there are certainly many verses on faith in the Word of God, the one that exemplified the kind of faith he had personally was

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Willard, after some early doubts in life, became a man who believed in God’s existence, and also earnestly sought him. He noted that rewards come when you seek Him, rather than seeking something for yourself.

Sometimes our attitude is “listen, your servant speaks,” rather than “speak, your servant is listening.”

Willard, because of his age, his experience, his stature in the church, could sometimes get away with saying things that might have been more difficult to hear from some others.

Let me quote: (play clip)

“I want no one ever to say to me – if you had enough faith, you wouldn’t be sick. I never want anyone to put that condemnation on me, because God doesn’t. Tthat it’s my fault, because of a lack of faith that I’m sick. I remember a couple left TCF when someone died, they said it’s because we as a church didn’t have enough faith or it wouldn’t have happened. That’s such a shallow understanding of faith. Faith is not a quick fix faith. It is an abiding faith... faith that stands... that’s still there when you don’t get what you ask for... a faith that’s been tried and tested and proven to be steadfast.

There’s the scripture that says “when trouble comes welcome it like a friend.” That’s one scripture I’ve never been able to heartily apply to my life. When trouble comes, I don’t say come on in friend, I usually say, no not again. Or, why don’t you go over to Jim Grinnell’s house... he needs a little test. You’ve proven yourself to me, pick on one of the younger guys.

I don’t believe that God allowed this to happen to test me. This is still a sinful world. We were a “faith” church before it became a denomination. The faith taught here is a faith you can depend on whether you’re sick or well, that endures through good times or bad times, a faith that says to God I can trust you no matter what happens.”