Can You Hear the Holy Roar?

Our prayer and meditation this morning for Sally’s healing is an excerpt from When God and Cancer Meet: Finding the Light in Cancer’s Shadow by Lynn Eib.

A cheerful heart is good medicine,

but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

Proverbs 17:22

When I was first diagnosed with cancer, I honestly wondered if I would ever laugh again. It was hard to imagine having a really good belly laugh over anything. That’s why when I came home from the hospital, I sent my husband to the video store to get me every Pink Panther movie he could find. You may not enjoy Peter Seller’s slapstick comedy as the bumbling Inspector Clouseau, but I always have found it impossible to watch and not laugh. So I watched them all. I laughed through them all. And it was very good medicine.

I am not one who believes laughter always can cure what ails you, but I definitely believe a cheerful heart is good medicine. My Bible footnotes say the literal translation of Proverbs 17:22 is “a cheerful heart causes good healing.”

It is a real understatement to say that cancer isn’t very funny. But it’s not an overstatement to say that we can find joy and even laughter in the midst of cancer.  You have to look for it, and sometimes you have to even create it for yourself . . . so go ahead and send someone to the video store! 

Prayer for Meditation

Lord, I pray that You will give me a cheerful heart, in spite of all I’ve gone through and all that still is ahead for me. I know I don’t have to smile and pretend I’m happy and that everything is all right. But I do want to feel Your quiet joy in me and even hear laughter from my lips. I want to remember that there is life after and even with cancer.

Please help me not be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is my strength. And Holy Spirit, please develop in me the fruit of joy that’s not based on my circumstances, but on my relationship with my Father. Let me be joyful in the simple gift of another day to love and be loved.

I pray, Lord, that You will bless me and protect me, that You will smile on me and be gracious to me, that You will show me Your favor and give me Your peace.

Scripture for Meditation

Nehemiah 8:10 - And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!

Numbers 6:24-26 - May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace." 

Music for Meditation

Can You Hear The Holy Roar 

Can You Hear the Holy Roar

Trees of life are blooming
Your word plants the seed
And we see it growing
Your kindness leading to repentance
We see traces of deliverance
Lord, thank You for mercy

Chorus:
Oh, can you hear it?
It's the song of the redeemed
The pursuit of passion for the One who set us free
Oh can you hear it?
We're crying out for more
So listen to our song
It's turning into a holy roar
A holy roar

Rivers of renewal
Spirit whisper a revival
And send us rushing
Lord send us rushing..
Open hearts with hopes of unity
We're servants to love in lost humanity
Lord send us reaching

Chorus
And we come rejoicing and singing and crying out to You Lord
Can You hear the holy roar
As we respond to Who You are and all that You have done
Lord with our lives, with all that we are
We return to You, Oh God
You are holy God
We lay down our lives, our songs, these tears, Lord
Can You hear the holy roar? These cries, these prayers...
Can You hear the holy roar? Still hear the holy roar

If you feel led to do so, please post a note of encouragement in the comment section below or send your note by email to PrayersForSally@gmail.com.