Cancer in Our Midst
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By David Vanderpool
Other Poems by David Vanderpool
Cancer In Our Midst Since being diagnosed with cancer, I have written several poems meant to encourage other cancer patients. I have posted a couple on Word Chimes and God has given me opportunity to use them numerous times in my personal realm of ministry. I offer this poem as an exhortation to Gods people as He is using social and cultural circumstances that we have never known before to bring about repentance and purify His Church. It is much longer than most of my poems but there was no way to fully present the analogy of physical cancer and spiritual cancer. For those who do not understand this terrible disease, it is basically an illness of renegade cells within the body. They take from the body what is needed to survive but they contribute nothing to the health of the body in return. As they multiply, they literally deprive the rest of the body of what it needs to survive and if it is not stopped, the body will die as a result. Since being diagnosed with a rather severe cancer from which I am still recovering after two years, I was moved to write this poem, for I know of no other metaphor that can so well describe the battle that faces Gods people today. I hope and pray that it will not be offensive to those who live close with this disease, but rather that it will be used to help propagate a needed message of exhortation.
Cancer in Our Midst No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24
Of all the human illnesses that plague the lives of men there are those we fear above the rest but there is one that takes a higher toll upon our life and puts our very being to the test We go to a physician when we think there’s something wrong expecting that the problem soon will pass and then we get the dreaded news that no one wants to hear “A cancer did, within yourself, amass” Cancer devastates our health by letting cells increase that make no contribution to our good and since the body must support these wild usurping cells the others soon can’t function as they should The problem with this illness that will make it one we fear is that we know its’ presence, oft, too late and since we do not know, at first, the presence of this foe we give it time to plunder while we wait
There is in the Church today, a cancer, if you will that takes its’ toll upon the Christian’s health and just like cancer in our life that’s hidden for so long this illness operates by way of stealth This cancer is made up of the self-serving way we live its’ devastation we cannot ignore its’ presence has been with us now for, oh, so many years that we can hardly function anymore There is a treatment that will rid God’s people of this ill but know that, with it, also comes a cost Gods’ own hand and skill must now perform a surgery without which, this fierce battle will be lost In the process of this operation God performs there will be removal from our midst the poison teaching of today that says, “We have our rights!” and God will make sure there is nothing missed
We can choose to go without this needed surgery God's purpose will not suffer if we do He said "I will accomplish all of the things that I have planned" but we will suffer loss when He is through Church of God, take heed today, submitting to His will Do not let pride continue to destroy for it is by God's love and mercy that He would perform removal of this devastating ploy It is time for those who claim to be in Christ to a stand it’s time to separate from worldly views for it is clearly taught in Scripture that this is God’s call and living for His Kingdom we must choose O, God, give those who see the truth the grace that they will need to make the choice of doing what is right Give them strength to stand amidst the pressure of our times so they display Your power and Your might
David L Vanderpool |
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Submitted: Saturday, January 9, 2016
Last Updated: Sunday, January 10, 2016
About the Poet
I am 58 years old and have lived in the Winona Lake area of Indiana for 16 years with my wife and children. I have written poetry for many years and use it primarily in personal ministry. For most of the past two years I have been recovering from cancer, something that God has used to impact my life in remarkable ways. I wrote a series of poems about the emotional and spiritual struggles that accompany having an illness like cancer. I used these to encourage people I met while going through kemo and radiation therapy. Since then, I have used them to minister to many people who struggle with cancer.
I work with the chaplaincy in the healthcare wing of a local retirement village near my home where two of my three daughers also work. My wife often accompanies me and we find it very rewarding to be involved in the lives of the people who live there.
My website address is http://callofissachar.com (Temporarily inactive)
Other Poems by David Vanderpool
- A Challenge to Fathers
- A Change of Perspective
- A Chapter of My Life
- A Hope That Endures
- A Prisoner of Choice
- A War of Deception
- Alzheimer's Journey
- An All Too Common Struggle
- Angels of Mercy
- As I Begin My Day
- Bumps Are What You Climb On
- Cancer in Our Midst
- Changes of Life
- Choosing Up Sides in the Neighborho
- Comfort or Flame
- Compromise Comes in a Package
- Counterfiet Reality
- Dichotomy
- Do I Hear God Speaking
- Do You Feel Like Quitting
- Everyone Worships
- Fear Can Become Anger
- For Those Who've Traveled Far
- Games Played in the Neighborhood
- God Hears My Heart
- God, I Have Cancer
- Hidden Treasure
- His Guding Promise
- Holding on to Yesterday
- I Come Again
- I Have Sinned
- I Need to Be in Love with God
- I Still Do What I Can
- Interceding Love
- It Seems I Do Most Anything - but P
- Kites Flew High in the Neighborhood
- On Pleasing Self
- Quiet Perspective
- Raise Your Ebenezer
- Reflection of Christ
- Simple Pleasures
- So You Want to Go to Heaven
- The Changes of Life
- The Gift of Youth
- The Great Escape
- The Names of God
- The Neighborhood Store
- The People Inside
- The Point of the Plow
- The World in the Church
- This Religion Thing
- To All My Friends Who Write
- To Love or Not to Love
- To Walk Alone with God
- Too Much Time Alone
- Unchanging Truth in Changing Times
- We Choose What We Love
- What I Know and What I Feel
- What of Sacrifice?
- When Sixty Seemed So Far Away
- When Water Isn't Wet
- Who has What?
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