Cancer in our lives.

     Cancer is present in more people than we would like to know.  Malignant or benign, cancer is a killer.  There are other diseases out there that we could classify as killers as well.  You may well know someone who has had cancer, has cancer or has died from cancer.  Cancer is a deadly snake just waiting to close in for the kill.  But what about cancer that is not a disease but is just as deadly?  Since I've brought up a snake let's go with that image.  Where have we seen a snake before.  I'm not talking about the garden snake in your back yard.  I'm talking about the snake that tempted Eve and Adam into sin.  That cancer killed us.  Not necessarily physically but spiritually for sure.  Where have you and I let sin creep into our lives?  Sometimes the "creeping" is really a full run that knocks the wind out of us.  Satan has been associated with a snake since the beginning of time.
     That is an interesting use of words.  "Since the beginning of time."  As we look back to the timeline laid out in the Bible we discover there is not "time" prior to the fall of Eve and Adam.  Nor is there time after God breathes life into us as we surrender our lives to him.  The first death took place with eating the forbidden fruit.  The reconciliation of man to God is the act of raising us from that dead.  It's sometimes hard to understand that we are dead when we are born and we are born so that we will no longer be dead.  The transforming from one extreme to another can take place in the blink of an eye. The first question of the day comes to us as a challenge.  Are you (and I) dead or alive?  The future of mankind is at stake.  There is an urgency for us to share our "life" (which is really Jesus) so that others might live as well.
     "But," you say; "I'm already alive (physically).  That would be a true statement.  It's also true that people on life support are alive.  The sin most Christians engage in is being on spiritual life support.  Why is that?  Why do we shy away from the very life that Jesus wants to give us?  Why is it we ignore the very fabric of life that is available?  Remembering my past is sometimes painful as I've been on life support many times for varying parts of my life.  Okay, lots of my life!  During those times I've let cancer run rampant in my spiritual life.  The cancer wasn't cultivated in my soul alone.  This cancer spread to those with whom I lived my dead life.  Instead of being a healed man who was about God's business; I was (and sometimes still am) destructive in the spiritual lives of those with whom I had contact.  Have you ever done this?
     Sometimes I fight the medicine (conviction by the Holy Spirit) and actually claim death as my life.  I choose cancer as my greatest need.  I can pretend this isn't true but that doesn't work in any way, shape or form.  Every day, and every moment in that day, God brings medicine that can kill the cancer.  Every day in various settings I reject that medicine even though I know it's importance in allowing God to give me life.  Sounds kind of crazy!  That's because it is crazy to not choose life over death. 
     Today is all I have.  Just this moment.  As long as I'm breathing here on planet Earth I am physically alive.  When I claim to be king of my life; I am dead.  When I surrender to Jesus I am alive forever.  Being alive I am given the choice, moment by moment, to engage life or be satisfied with death.  Sounds bizarre but we all choose death at times in our lives.  Anytime we sin, we are putting our foot back in death.  Anytime.  We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  No question about it; I was dead before Jesus brought me to life.  Over the years the importance and significance of life has become more and more precious.  Still, I struggle with the sins that seek to keep me dead.  I imagine you do as well.  It's a bullet not easily dodged. 
     The more we surrender to sin the more dead we are.  The more we surrender to Jesus, the more we enjoy the life He has given us.  Just for this moment I will choose to live alive instead of dead.  Will you do the same?  It's better to surrender now than to put it off.  The Word says that in the end ALL will bow and acknowledge that Jesus (who gives life) is Lord.  Why wait?  Why not surrender this moment and have life instead of death?  Remember that the choice is always yours.  Choose Life.