Grace Vineyard Christian Fellowship

Diagnosis: Lung cancer.

The doctors decide against chemotherapy or radiation for our friend Ed. Maybe they think he is beyond help, but we know better.

The words, "Lay hands on the sick and they will recover," spring into my mind. Maybe we'll see this today. The Adopt-a-Block team prays for this sweet grandpa with two packs of cigarrettes peeking out of his front pocket. The prayer is simple - no grandstanding or drama, just a request for mercy and healing.

We walk away, forgetting how powerful prayer is, forgetting the authority we have in Christ.

The next Saturday, Ed is excited, "I had two big black spots on my lungs and now they are gone!"

Why are we surprised?

I wonder why Ed isn't completely healed and then I hear God's say, "Keep asking."

So, on Saturday mornings, at the Silver Bell Apartments, we keep asking for Ed's healing.

Ed is completely healed of lung cancer. The doctors are puzzled. When cancer goes into remission, it is evident in the body, but with Ed, there is no remission. There is no trace of cancer and no sign that there ever was cancer. It is completely gone!

Ed stands outside his door in the Saturday morning sunshine and tells us how good God is. He wants to spend the rest of his life telling others. And with two packs of cigarettes still hanging out of his front shirt pocket, we see God's goodness is not based on any good deed of our own.