10-2-23<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have come through a stretch where friends, or acquaintances of friends, have died or observed anniversaries of deaths, or have faced serious life-threats. There have even been sad stories of different people\u2019s similar ailments, tempting one to think they are more than coincidences. Have you ever noticed such trends?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We wonder at those times: Is there something in the water? Conspiracies afoot? Phases of the moon? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is something called apophenia \u2013 confirmation bias \u2013 that can fool our perceptions; self-fulfilling prophesies in our minds. Examples are when we take note of weather trends like global warming; or crime statistics; or cancer and other diseases \u2013 are things changing, or is there only better reporting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nevertheless, we sometimes want to toss statistics (whether affirming or contrary) and \u201cexpert opinions\u201d out the window. For instance, when we see more children exhibiting signs of autistic behavior; or know of more folks dying of cancer than in, say, Colonial days; or hear about examples of more auto-immune diseases than existed years ago. If these are just perceptions, or heightened awareness, we can point to another adage \u2013 what the Romans called omne trium perfectum<\/em> \u2013 that things come in threes. (Like my lists in these previous paragraphs!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact our minds often run in threes. There are sayings that both good things and bad things happen in threes. The Bible, beginning of course with the Trinity, points to 3<\/strong> as the number of perfection. Writers are taught to have three main \u201cpeaks\u201d in a storyline; fewer are dull, more are confusing. Similarly, orators and pastors are taught to hold audiences with three main points. Homiletics: explanation; illustration; and application. (\u201cTell them what you\u2019re going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you told them.\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n So\u2026 our minds want<\/em> to \u201csee\u201d patterns in myriad ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, to return to cancer. The disease does<\/em> seem to be on the rise, at least in its horrible varieties\u2026 more than three, sadly. For all the accounts of \u201cthank God it was detected early\u201d \u2013 and we do<\/em> thank Him in such cases \u2013 there are counter-balance stories. In my case, an old church friend whose husband was \u201copened up\u201d to search for the cause of stomach discomfort\u2026 was quickly \u201cstitched up\u201d when many cancers were evident; he died soon thereafter. Another new friend\u2019s son-in-law was diagnosed but surgery seems to have \u201ccaught\u201d the suspicious lymphatic glands. But another friend\u2019s husband went from diagnosis of brain cancer to death in five quick weeks. \u201cMercifully short\u201d? Clich\u00e9s are of scant comfort\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cancer \u2013 the \u201cBig C\u201d \u2013 looms larger in our collective minds than almost all other diseases; perhaps more ominous than international crises or environmental challenges (which, in fact, might be closely related to the cancer epidemic), touching almost every family and neighborhood. The \u201cBig C,\u201d people call it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a little odd how humankind makes light of dangers. You know, phrases like \u201cacts of God.\u201d Jokes like \u201cThe devil made me do it!\u201d Back to cancer again \u2013 smokers who cynically call cigarettes \u201cC-sticks.\u201d In fact, if we insist on reverting to shorthand or nicknames, let us adopt another use of the term \u201cthe Big C,\u201d and apply it to the real<\/em> Big C \u2013 Christ<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We, the human race, had our chance one time when Christ \u201cbecame flesh and dwelt among us,\u201d as the Bible refers to His earthly ministry. Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah prophesied and predicted, and even described what Jesus would look like\u2026 and how He would be treated by us: Despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. We hid our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, the \u201cBig C\u201d came to earth, to teach and heal but mainly to Save \u2013 to offer Himself as the sacrifice for the punishments we deserve as rebels against our Heavenly Father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and by His stripes we are healed. <\/em>Full circle back to cancers and afflictions? Does Christ, by this, always heal as we would wish? Not as we would wish \u2013 my wife was miraculously healed of thyroid cancer\u2026 yet despite fervent prayers, she had to receive heart and kidney transplants. However she faithfully believed she was healed by the miracle of surgery, God’s chosen answer in that circumstance. And she was given a testimony to share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If there are lessons through all these mysteries, it is that God is sovereign. We trust Him to answer prayer as He will. We praise Him at all times: that is faith. God\u2019s \u201cBig C\u201d \u2013 our elder brother, Christ Jesus \u2013 is bigger than cancer and any other problems we face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter what we call the challenges, we should call Jesus by Who He is \u2013 Christ, our Savior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n + + +<\/p>\n\n\n\n