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If He Can Do It, So Can I!

When I started this week, the name Mark Herzlich meant little and less to me. Then yesterday morning, his story was featured on MSNBC's Morning Joe. Herzlich is a rookie linebacker for the New York Giants who was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer in 2009 and told that he may never run again, let alone play football. Yet, he walked off a plane this week in Indianapolis with his team to prepare to play in Sunday's big game. The feature went on to describe how Herzlich could have opted for the less painful and easier surgical solution of of removing the femur-sized tumour. Instead, he chose to endure the pain of 16 arduous months of chemotherapy and physical training because it would give him the best shot at being able to play football again. And now he is center-stage at  the biggest event of his career, cancer-free.

Inspiring story. It brought tears to my eyes just watching the piece on the television. It also brought conviction to my heart. Am I making those kind of decisions for my Christian walk?

The writer of Hebrews encourages us in chapter 12 to lay aside those sins that so easily beset us and run our race (v.1). We need to look unto Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross and despised the shame and is now set down on the right hand of the throne of God (v. 2).

Christ is our example. What difficulties can we ever face in life that can compare to the difficulty of His death on the cross for crimes that He did not commit? How can we, how can I, live in convenience when our example did not?

While Herzlich's story is heart-warming, I did note that he never once mentioned God or even a "supreme being" when he talked about his journey from diagnosis to the Super Bowl. And if an unbeliever can have that much passion and desire to accomplish something that ultimately will not matter when we stand before the Almighty, how much more should we as believers persevere through tests and trials? Let us therefore press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ (see Phil. 3:14).

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be.
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart Lord, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above.


Amen.

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