Day 229 Life is a Canvas, Paint it with Faith

Those are the words inscribed on a beautiful stone paperweight that my daughter gave me last Christmas, never knowing how meaningful those words would become. 

I was thinking this morning about faith and the healing of the woman with the issue of blood.  She just touched the hem of the Lord and He said, "Your faith has made you well."  Then the centurion whose servant was ill.  He had such great faith that he told Jesus he knew Jesus could heal the servant from afar.  He didn't even have to visit the sick man or touch him.  It seems as though Jesus could just think a healing into being.

Wow, what amazing faith is that?  In most cases we believe for a healing but prepare for the worst.  Does that mean a lack of faith?  I don't know the answer to that.  Sometimes I think it isn't a lack of faith but we don't know what is in God's plans for us and maybe the illness is for a reason.  Certainly not for punishment.  I'll never believe that.  But maybe to take us to another level of awareness, of acceptance, so that we may "consider it all joy." 

This morning I was led to a beautiful scripture in Isaiah.

"Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear, then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Then you will call and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and he willsay: Here I AM."
Isaiah 58:8,9

A couple of years ago at Wednesday night services, we watched a teaching video of Bruce Wilkinson, the author of the small book The Prayer of Jabez.  He related being in a meeting with other pastors.  When asked individually what they prayed for most, they each replied "more FAITH".  Even spiritual leaders deal with faith. 

I hope that today is a day of faith for all of us as we face whatever challenges are coming our way.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
Thank You Father for another glorious day.  I thank you for the rain a few days ago and for the sunshine today.  I thank You for wrapping me and my fellow cancer warriors in the comfort of your healing arms.
I ask today Lord, for the faith of a mustard seed so that I can move the mountain called cancer out of my life. Please give that same measure of faith to everyone fighting this enemy whether it is in the test tube of a research hospital or the treatment rooms of the oncologist or the warrior fighting the fight in their body. 
We believe in the destruction of this enemy so complete that it can never return.
Thank You, Father, thank You.  It's all You, Lord.  All You.
These things I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the name above cancer, the name above all names.
Amen