Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

I have seen the pictures of the two-year-old boy who comes from Durango, Mexico.

He wasn't a pretty sight.

When the boy was born, he had a lump on his back. Over his short lifespan, that boy's tumor grew until it covered the right side of his body, from his armpit to his hip.

It grew until that 33-pound tumor weighed more than the 25-pound boy.

But then things changed. The boy met the doctors in Mexico City, and they brought him into surgery -- a surgery which lasted ten hours. Now that tumor is a thing of the past and the boy is healing and living in a way which before had been impossible.

I have tried to look at humanity from God's perspective.

We aren't a pretty sight.

We were all born with the tumors of original sin. No matter whether our lifespan has been long or short, we have added to sin and the cancer of our soul. There was no doubt; although we were physically alive, we were spiritually dead.

But then things changed. By the Holy Spirit's power we were brought into contact and faith with our Savior. So that we might be saved, Jesus lived His life and, in six incredibly painful and unjust hours, suffered and died for us, so we might be separated from our sin.

Now the punishment which once was ours is a thing of the past, and we are saved. We are, because of the Savior's sacrifice, able to live in a way that would have been impossible without Him.

I have been told the boy, along with his family, are most thankful for what the doctors have done. I hope so. Even more I pray that each of us is thankful that Jesus has separated us from the sad and sorry spiritual cancer that once was our demise.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, I give thanks for the miracles of modern medicine, which are a gift from You to us. Even more I am grateful for the miracle of Your love and sacrifice that has given me forgiveness and eternal life. May I remember what was and, because of You, no longer is. In Your Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Jonah 1-4    Acts 15:1-21

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