'Heal me, O LORD, and I will be Healed'

I went under the knife eight years ago this week in an attempt to rid my body of Prostate Cancer. A lot of things ran through my mind as I hiked daily in the San Juan Mountains waiting for the date with the surgeon on the operating table.

What a scary time in my life. I was only 51 years-old...'Why me?', 'What am I going to do?', 'How much time will this buy me?', and 'How do I tell my children I have Cancer?'

My father had surgery just a year before this time for a broken hip. He had five mini-strokes during the procedure and never woke up. Wow! Then the question that rang and rang in my head was 'What if I don't make it through surgery'.

'Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.' (Jeremiah 17:14 NIV)

I didn't know the above scripture at the time of my dilemma, but I do know it now. In fact, I text it back and forth to many of my brothers and sisters on earth as we attempt to encourage one another as we fight off sickness in our daily battle to be healthy.

Jesus with the power of God healed many people and he told us we would do greater things than he did. Not everyone was healed when Jesus walked the earth and not everyone is healed today. But, please ask to be healed. I would hate to think you go through life on earth sick or diseased and all you would have had to do is ask for a healing and you might be healed.

I was so blessed to have the Great Healer's hand guiding the mind and knife of the surgeon that day. I was told if I didn't have the surgery I had eight to ten years to go before the fast growing Cancer would surely take over my body.

My time of quality life would just about be over by now. Instead, I have been healed and I praise the Lord for the past eight years of living Cancer free!

The Lord has healed me and saved me and he is the one I praise!

Rick Hawbaker
'Praising Him'