I had the chance to spend a couple of hours with Austin Macemore today and I am the better for it. If you didn't already know, Austin's medical condition is pretty serious. Cancer is fighting to claim more ground in his body but Austin - and the thousands whose lives he has touched - are putting up a pretty good fight of their own.
You can understand Austin fighting the cancer that is waging war against him, but how do others fight something that isn't physically affecting them? The answer is simple: Nobody is giving up. People are praying earnestly, friends are spending time recalling fun memories of Austin (of which there are millions), and pictures of Austin are showing up all over Facebook.
He's even got his own special "Friends of Austin" Facebook page.
Now, let's be very candid about all of this. Cancer is nasty and it's taking a toll on Austin. Things are not going all that well but that doesn't mean that there is no hope. In fact, nothing about Austin's circumstance is hopeless. I'll tell you why.
The main battles that we fight are not against flesh and blood. (Eph. 6:12) These battles are against our ultimate nemesis Satan, who seeks to devour us like a lion. (1 Pet. 5:8) Yes, cancer is a tough fight but it cannot claim your soul, which is what is truly at stake for all of us. And in this arena Austin has already claimed victory.
Austin belongs to Jesus, not to cancer. And Jesus sacrificed Himself so that the enemy would be forever defeated. Yes, we will all succumb to the physical one day, but if you are in Christ your physical death is only the beginning of your true life. Eternity with the Lord will be our greatest joy.
So Austin is in good shape. He can say with the apostle Paul, "To live is Christ but to die is gain." (Phil. 1:21) We will all continue to pray for Austin and fight alongside of him, and we do so knowing that it's all a win-win for him. God has got this.
No comments:
Post a Comment