What Jesus did for Terena

by Michael G. Mickey

12-30-06

Imagine it is less than a week to go until Christmas and you have to go to the doctor to have biopsies taken from two different areas of your body to be tested for cancer. Additionally, imagine that you're a woman with three children and a loving husband and these potential cancers are in your breasts. Add to that the fact that after the biopsies are taken you aren't going to hear any news - good or bad - until after Christmas is over. Merry Christmas, right? This is the story of a woman who sits behind me in my church about four rows back. Her name is Terena.

When Terena, her husband and family members went to have the biopsies referred to above done, Terena went in alone a few days before Christmas to have the samples taken after gathering with her family in the lobby for prayer. The biopsies would be taken by needle and Terena, if she chose to, could look at a monitor nearby where her doctor would be monitoring the movement of the needle to the areas the samples would be taken from. Terena couldn't watch.

While I can't begin to imagine how she felt lying there, undoubtedly with every possible scenario a young woman and mother would have going through her mind at a moment like that, the doctor made a surprising announcement. What was believed to have potentially been a cancerous tumor was GONE. Completely gone! At this point, Terena opened her eyes and looked at the monitor. No tumor was there, but there was another location to be checked - one that was the most-feared of the two.

As the doctor inserted the needle and began to check the other area, Terena watched the monitor. Guess what she and the doctor saw there? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Just as the other potential tumor had vanished, that one had as well.

A few minutes later, Terena would walk back out into the lobby where her family, expecting her to be gone for a significant period of time, met her, asking her what she was doing back so soon. "They're gone," she said. "They're gone!"

Some people in the lobby who had seen Terena and her family pray before she went back for her procedure asked what had happened upon seeing their joy. They had seen Terena's family gather in prayer and assumed something serious was going on. So what had they done? They, being Christians, had bowed their heads and prayed in support of Terena - a demonstration of how the Body of Christ can rise up together in prayer at the drop of a hat and touch the hem of the Master's garment!

What do we call all this? It's called a MIRACLE. From the moment I heard Terena tell this story at church until today, I haven't ceased to praise the Lord for this Christmas miracle! In this case, the Lord was so merciful to Terena and her children who love her!

In the months leading up to this, her husband Wayne had lost not one but two family members in tragic situations. His soul, as such, had been burdened heavily of late and this man, I can tell you from watching them together, truly loves his wife. In the case of this godly man, the Lord was so merciful to him!

And, in our church, Terena, Wayne and their three children are just beautiful to see. They're special, Christ-loving saints of God. Every one of them! As such, the loss of Terena or any of her family would have broken our church's collective heart. As such, in the case of our church body, the Lord was so merciful to us!

This is why I want you to know what Jesus gave Terena, Wayne, their children and our church: The Jesus that walked the earth in flesh some 2,000 years ago? The Jesus who died on the cross to make atonement for our sins? The Jesus who conquered death, hell and the grave? His healing hands are still moving in this world today, proving to those who are willing to believe in Him that He is alive, on the throne and in control!

Matthew 14:14:  And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Matthew 15:30: And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

What Jesus did for Terena, He can do for you as well! If He should choose to do something miraculous in your life, I hope you'll take the opportunity to magnify Him through it in whatever manner you can because He is worthy of receiving a mountain of praise from those who love Him each and every day, especially when we consider that the best is yet to come for those who are trusting in Him!

Someday the saints of God are all going to be together in a place where there will be no more sickness, death nor sorrow. What a great and wonderful God!

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for what you did for Terena! May this commentary be a testimonial to Your marvelous grace, love and mercy. May it give everyone who reads it hope, Lord, as there are many today badly in need of some.

Psalm 146:5: Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

We love you, Lord!