An Alter and A Cane

They gathered in by the hundreds, they were in their prime of life. Energy almost seemed to ripple through the crowd, as apostolic young people from several states joined together for a great youth convention. Yet in the mist of all this strength, and power, youth that had more energy then anyone can attempt to put in some energy drink, was something that looked oddly out of place. With guys that stood tall and girls that could walk with grace and easy in heels, was a wheelchair, walker, crutches and other such stuff.

It can bad enough to come to a youth meeting with a pimple on your nose, or maybe not the most fashionable outfit but to be weak in the body, that another story by itself. You can’t keep up with the other youth because your strength is gone. People aren’t sure what to say or do around you it not normal to be that sick. People talking about you and what wrong and you receiving glances of pity is not fun thing either

It broke the heart of many adults at that convention to see young people hurting physically. So it was no surprised at the last night of the convention when a minister at the front of the church began talking about the need in that service. Asking everyone to bind together in prayer for a youth that was in pain, but which youth was he particular talking about? Was it the young man who was is in a horrible car accident this year and was now in a wheelchair? Or surely for the young girl who had a life treating disease and was forced to use a walker due to being so weak? Or the girl in the walking cast who broke her foot that was not healing correctly? Surely it had to be the girl who was having horrible back pains that caused her to be in constant pain. Young people who came miles to be at the convention, kids that didn’t want to miss being at a convention where they knew God would move. But I was honestly shocked when I heard my name called to come to the front. That when I reached down and grabbed my cane and headed for the alter.

All the prior year I had been sick with what I thought was just the stomach flu again or a bad cough, I never seem to fully get over being sick. Then the news hit me like a freight train, I had cancer. I tried to be normal and keep up with life working full time, hanging out like a normal youth, church, school and the whole nine yards but I only made myself worst. Instead of resting up the surgery I pushed myself to the limit almost up to the day of my surgery. The surgery went well but the cancer was much worst then expected. I then spent much longer in the hospital. Finally I went home and began the road to recovery. I was finally feeling well again, had the urge to eat. I had almost gained all my weight that I had lost. Then I was put on a strict diet in preparation for radiation, then radiation itself, I began to get weak again. By the time of convention started I had almost like carpool tunnel syndrome symptoms in all my joints and was so weak that I was forced to use a cane.

I felt unworthy to be asked to come to the alter, with so many sicker than myself, why was I chosen. I wanted to cry, I knew I need it prayer but other did too. "God why can’t they come forward too?" As the ministry laid their hands on my head and the church in one accord began to pray, I felt a power I have never felt before. As if oil began to run from the top of my head, pouring over my painful joints and giving strength in my body. When they finished praying, I wanted to leave my cane on the alter as a sign of what He had done for me, but I was checked in the Spirit. What I didn't know was God had only given me strength for the rest of my trip but not complete healing. I walked back to my seat with almost a bounce in my step.

When I got back to me I set I began to weep, why had God only choose me to called to the front when so many where sick? Why couldn’t other youth get the chance to feel that same healing power I felt? That when God spoke to me. “Look at the crowd what do you see?” I lifted my face and looked. Instead of seeing strong, powerful young people I saw young people who were wounded and weak. Young people with wheelchairs and walkers, kids who were very sick, I was getting a glimpse into the spiritual world. That when I noticed my own spiritual cane. During my sickness instead staying near God I was trying to do it on my own with my own strength and became spiritual weak. I was forced to use a cane because of my spiritual weakness.

As the alter call was called, I stood to walk with two canes now. One for my physical weakness and another for my spiritual weakness, others were heading up with their spiritual wheelchairs, crutches, walkers and canes. Young people who had been straying from God that had cancers much like myself, spiritual cancers. Diseases and sickness that left them weak and hurting. That when God began to touch young people just as he had earlier touched me in the physical sense. Power of God moved so much in that service that unbelievable spiritual healing were taking place, and the alter became littered with spiritual walkers, canes, crutches and wheelchairs. Strength began pour into spirits, like oil over them. That night when I left that alter, I still was holding a cane, I was still weak in the body though much stronger now. This time I got my chance to leave something at the alter to show of God's healing, my spiritual cane.