Saving Grace

"If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."  Matthew 18:19

It was less than a month ago I received the first email.  A friend had forwarded a prayer request regarding a precious little girl named Grace.  Only 7 years of age and diagnosed with a malignant form of cancer called "Ewings Sarcoma".  Only 1 in 2,000,000 people develop this type of cancer.  By the time Doctors were able to confirm her condition it had already metastasized to various areas in her body, including her clavicle (collar bone), ankle, heel, toes, and under her left arm, as well as some other potential places.

The message contained a request to help cheer up Gracie.  "She loves rainbows and dolphins, friends and family, special cards, glittery girl things, and the colour pink.  She also loves Jesus with all her heart."

Folks responded from all around the world.  There was an outpouring of gifts, cards, letters, emails, phone calls and prayers.The support and encouragement received was a testament of God's love.  Although feeling total devastation at times, and running on very little sleep, the Lord was holding this dear family as they walked this difficult road.

This past Monday I received an update that more biopsy results would be read at the end of the week.  Grace's mom was encouraged by a friend to pray the tumors down and out.  Believing in a God who answers us when we call to Him, we were all asked to stand with this family, asking God for a miracle for Gracie.

Many began calling on the Lord to remove the tumors and restore health, that the Lord may be glorified through His healing of this little child.  Grace's parents recognized that the healing might mean heaven, but they were confident God would heal Grace.

Last night I received an email from my friend who knows this family personally and has been forwarding the updates to me.  All she wrote in her message to me was: "Well Joy, you will enjoy this!"  I knew instantly!

With enthusiasm and a heart already thanking and praising the Lord I began to read evidence of what my heart already knew.  This precious family had just received a phone call from the pathologist at Sick Kids Hospital.  They had the most recent biopsy results and all were NEGATIVE of any cancer!!!  In fact, as Grace's mom writes, the pathologist "cannot detect the problem at all.  PRAISE THE LORD!!!"

Grace's mom then continued to share how just recently she and her husband had been called to take some very radical steps of obedience to follow Jesus.  She describes both she and her husband as having been "intellectual Christians", studying God's Word with their minds, but not applying it to their hearts.  In April the Lord deeply convicted Grace's mom to quit attending law school and stay home full-time with her children.  Next came a move from the United States to Canada.  She and her husband began studying God's Word, repenting and obeying Him in radical ways.  Does God honour obedience?  Most definitely.

Skeptics may say that Grace never had cancer at all.  Some may claim the original test results were wrong.  Friends, this was a little girl who less than a month ago couldn't walk normally because of a large tumor on her ankle.  A little girl unable to swim because of the golf-ball sized tumor on her clavicle.  Today...Grace is running!!  Praise the Lord!  This is a miracle.  God's healing in Gracie's life.

I cannot say it any better than Grace's mom:

"We have seen many children in severe health situations while we were at the hospital.  We also have family members who are experiencing life-threatening disease, and we have friends, and friends of friends who are experiencing life-threatening cancers and disease.  Dear friends and family - by no means are we beneficiaries of a 'special' grace from God, and others are not.  We believe all prayers of healing are answered.  We believe that some prayers are answered right away, some take time, and others will happen on resurrection day.  However, everyone who prays for healing in His name will experience it at a time appointed by God alone.  We cannot even begin to understand His almighty works and ways, and why He does things, but what we CAN do is glorify Him in our lives, every day, all day!

Just like with the children of Israel that wandered through the desert and from time to time turned away from His statutes and His commandments, and worshipped Baal, etc., let us remember that they had to TURN AWAY from the idols in their lives, and follow Him, to experience temporal and eternal blessings!  The promised-land for them was Canaan, and the promised-land for us is Heaven.  So today, whatever is blocking us from a deep and true relationship with God, let us turn away, and follow Him!  Let us take up our cross, and follow Him!  Let us also be burden-bearers and help those around us!"

To anyone who wants to explain this away, here's the answer: God answers prayer!  Miracles happen!  God is alive!  He is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Grace may have been 1 in 2,000,000 but we have a God who denies statistics and I thank Him for His saving grace.