Medical Science or Alternative Medicine?
Isa 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Isa 41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
What to do: What to do… Who is right, who is wrong? That is often the dilemma that comes on with the battle of cancer. I have heard this often as a medical center chaplain on the Oncology Ward. I have also experienced it personally. Every answer was standard: Consult your Pastor and confide your feelings to your Oncologist and I will pray with you for comfort and direction.
I learned the truth of 1Corinthians 10:13: Each affliction may be different, but is as intense as everyone else; and God will “also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” He does not give you an aspirin or does not always heal directly, but He knows how much you can take before breaking.
Our main consultation should be with the Master Physician, the Lord. He does not dispense confusion and the answer He gives to all who come to Him is, ”Fear not!” I have found Him to be a very personal Oncologist and easy to talk to. While the members of His flock are sheep, each sheep is different and unique… yet, all are stamped with the earmark of the Lamb of God.
I must go back to my first bout with colorectal cancer in order to describe how it affected my present battle with invading forces. I was told that it was “dire”. The operation was reasonably successful, but a little had invaded a lymph node, so the treatment was a protocol of chemotherapy and radiation.
However, I admit that I had concern about my mode of treatment. If I chose a mixture of both medical and alternative methods, my oncologists would not abide by that. Then as now, I sought divine guidance, not franticly: hysteria blocks investigative thought and solutions. My immediate goal was to acquire peace so that intermediate and long term goals could emerge with clarity.
The Psalmist’ prayed; “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust:” and I wondered “How does one hear lovingkindness?” It came to me that I have actually been listening to the voice of the Lord, the personification of Wisdom, Justice, and Love, and Lovingkindness. There He was; every morning as I was ready to start the day: “Lord, ‘in thee do I trust, cause me to know the way wherein I should walk (Psalm 143:8);”
Lovingkindness showed me the way. I was very aware of His presence and unafraid, just peaceful: perfect peace that passes all understanding. So; at 11:00 A.M. every day, I was face down on a lab table in the “sci-fi” room where the radiation would come out from somewhere and go into my body someplace: the technicians had retreated behind a lead shield in another room. I was all alone and serenaded from beeps and buzzes before I heard the extended humm of the juice being applied. But I was ready… here’s why:
Is the Creator of heavens and earth able to still the waves of radiation? All powers are subject to him: in His nail punctured hand is “power and might; to give strength unto all; upholding all things by the word of his power. He laid the foundation of the earth: set the North over an open place, stretched out the heavens like a garment, “according to the working of his mighty power,” which He employed when he raised Christ from the dead. “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made“ (John 1:3).
That must have been quite a blast of divine power that raised Jesus from the dead, power that scientists may call radiation today: the same power from the image of the invisible God, who spoke and the light separated the darkness. With His fingers, He decorated the heavens with sprinklings of heavenly bodies, on course and in their places. Radiation? Nothing to it for the Lord Jesus Christ. He invented it
When I heard the hum of the radioactivity, it was the right nail-punctured hand of the Master Physician on the control, measuring the exact amount needed. The same is true for chemotherapy. The right hand of my salvation measured the amount of chemo that should drip slowly into my veins.
I can hear some of you draw in your breaths; “But what happens if you are not cured? What you are saying is false hope!” Not at all: I cannot find “false hope” in the Bible: various types, yes, but it is all hope. When I underwent the procedure, I had hope: others were there in silent witness to my reactions. If I should make one move of doubt, it could affect a lot of people. So, I am like the gear shift on a car; in neutral until the Master engages me. I would not frustrate the plan of God for my life.
If the invading forces prevail, God has a way for me to escape, which is far better than anything produced by avoiding false hope. I did not care, for He would get the glory in my body by life or by death, as Paul taught the Philippian church.
Update: I have had two treatments of chemotherapy and this coming Tuesday I will have the third usual six-hour infusion and then an evaluation. Don’t worry about me: Jesus and I will get caught up on a few things and I may need an attitude adjustment. I’m just going to spill over onto Him.
Thank you for your prayers, and to God be the glory.
Robert N. Adams (Helen says “Hey”)
We are Pastor and Mrs. Bulldog
=========================
Survivor Chronicles #3 will have a more complete description of the treatments, consultations, and of the Kansas City Cancer Center.
I learned the truth of 1Corinthians 10:13: Each affliction may be different, but is as intense as everyone else; and God will “also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” He does not give you an aspirin or does not always heal directly, but He knows how much you can take before breaking.
Our main consultation should be with the Master Physician, the Lord. He does not dispense confusion and the answer He gives to all who come to Him is, ”Fear not!” I have found Him to be a very personal Oncologist and easy to talk to. While the members of His flock are sheep, each sheep is different and unique… yet, all are stamped with the earmark of the Lamb of God.
I must go back to my first bout with colorectal cancer in order to describe how it affected my present battle with invading forces. I was told that it was “dire”. The operation was reasonably successful, but a little had invaded a lymph node, so the treatment was a protocol of chemotherapy and radiation.
However, I admit that I had concern about my mode of treatment. If I chose a mixture of both medical and alternative methods, my oncologists would not abide by that. Then as now, I sought divine guidance, not franticly: hysteria blocks investigative thought and solutions. My immediate goal was to acquire peace so that intermediate and long term goals could emerge with clarity.
The Psalmist’ prayed; “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust:” and I wondered “How does one hear lovingkindness?” It came to me that I have actually been listening to the voice of the Lord, the personification of Wisdom, Justice, and Love, and Lovingkindness. There He was; every morning as I was ready to start the day: “Lord, ‘in thee do I trust, cause me to know the way wherein I should walk (Psalm 143:8);”
Lovingkindness showed me the way. I was very aware of His presence and unafraid, just peaceful: perfect peace that passes all understanding. So; at 11:00 A.M. every day, I was face down on a lab table in the “sci-fi” room where the radiation would come out from somewhere and go into my body someplace: the technicians had retreated behind a lead shield in another room. I was all alone and serenaded from beeps and buzzes before I heard the extended humm of the juice being applied. But I was ready… here’s why:
Is the Creator of heavens and earth able to still the waves of radiation? All powers are subject to him: in His nail punctured hand is “power and might; to give strength unto all; upholding all things by the word of his power. He laid the foundation of the earth: set the North over an open place, stretched out the heavens like a garment, “according to the working of his mighty power,” which He employed when he raised Christ from the dead. “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made“ (John 1:3).
That must have been quite a blast of divine power that raised Jesus from the dead, power that scientists may call radiation today: the same power from the image of the invisible God, who spoke and the light separated the darkness. With His fingers, He decorated the heavens with sprinklings of heavenly bodies, on course and in their places. Radiation? Nothing to it for the Lord Jesus Christ. He invented it
When I heard the hum of the radioactivity, it was the right nail-punctured hand of the Master Physician on the control, measuring the exact amount needed. The same is true for chemotherapy. The right hand of my salvation measured the amount of chemo that should drip slowly into my veins.
I can hear some of you draw in your breaths; “But what happens if you are not cured? What you are saying is false hope!” Not at all: I cannot find “false hope” in the Bible: various types, yes, but it is all hope. When I underwent the procedure, I had hope: others were there in silent witness to my reactions. If I should make one move of doubt, it could affect a lot of people. So, I am like the gear shift on a car; in neutral until the Master engages me. I would not frustrate the plan of God for my life.
If the invading forces prevail, God has a way for me to escape, which is far better than anything produced by avoiding false hope. I did not care, for He would get the glory in my body by life or by death, as Paul taught the Philippian church.
Update: I have had two treatments of chemotherapy and this coming Tuesday I will have the third usual six-hour infusion and then an evaluation. Don’t worry about me: Jesus and I will get caught up on a few things and I may need an attitude adjustment. I’m just going to spill over onto Him.
Thank you for your prayers, and to God be the glory.
Robert N. Adams (Helen says “Hey”)
We are Pastor and Mrs. Bulldog
=========================
Survivor Chronicles #3 will have a more complete description of the treatments, consultations, and of the Kansas City Cancer Center.
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