Melissa

Luke 11: 1-13

1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:

" 'Father,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.' "
5 Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

My eighteen-year-old niece was diagnosed three weeks ago with ovarian cancer. She'd been feeling bad for only a couple of weeks but had lost about 15 pounds in the second week. Two days later the doctors removed part of her female anatomy and scheduled her for a follow-up visit. At that visit, they told her the cancer was in her lymph nodes. She began chemotherapy last week. When I spoke to her after the operation, I joked, "You know, Melissa, there are easier ways to lose weight." We both laughed. We had already cried our separate tears. I am persistently praying for her recovery.

Jesus tells us in this passage that "everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened" (v. 10, NIV). I am praying for Melissa's recovery as I have prayed for few things in my life. Does this mean that my prayer will be answered? I don't know. I hope so; I pray so. "…yet because of the man's persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs" (v. 8, NIV).

In the last few weeks, I've learned much about ovarian cancer. It's very aggressive. The vast majority of women who get ovarian cancer are older than Melissa. I'm praying for her recovery.

Please join me in my prayers.

--A few months after I wrote the above words, Melissa died on August 1, 2003.


A Faithful Response: Read a book on prayer – and put into practice one suggestion.