Leading Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias has announced that he is undergoing cancer treatment in a bid to try and beat back a malignant tumor on his spine.
Surgeons discovered the rare sarcoma after conducting an operation to repair Ravi’s vertebrae back in February. Since then, doctors have been scrambling to get Ravi moved from Atlanta over to Houston, Texas, so that he can be treated at the world-renowned M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Incredibly, despite the coronavirus pandemic causing havoc across the healthcare services, Ravi made it to Texas. “Our doctors in Atlanta were concerned I couldn’t start treatment until fully healing from the back surgery,” Ravi explained in an email. “However, since then we have been able to consult with doctors at the renowned M.D. Anderson in Houston, Texas. Truly God did a miracle in getting me here, literally a day or two just before they had to close to treating any patients outside of Texas.”
Zacharias, 74, added that “since this treatment is coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic nationally, I will remain here in Houston for the next few months until I finish the chemotherapy treatment.”
“I look forward to gradually seeing this disease mend,” he wrote.
The itinerant speaker had initially hoped to be back on the road by early summer. Now, though, he recognizes this may not be possible. “Certainly, it is too soon to begin making plans to speak and travel—due to my treatment progress and the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus,” Zacharias explained.
“But my doctors here are anxious to extend my active ministry and I believe God still has more for me to do. I will serve the Lord from here whether on my back or on my feet. I look forward to being back in his service. And as our team also serves the Lord with me, we will help to make this world a better place as God enables and by his grace.”
Ravi, who is being treated at the same hospital as his late colleague and apologist, Nabeel Qureshi, reminded his followers of some rock-solid truths about the God that we worship.
“The Bible assures us that at all times God is with us. He is our comforter; He is our healer. He is our physician; He is our provider. He knows better than we do,” he wrote. “While some nights have been painful, my heart has been at rest that this is all God’s plan. I want to be better; I want to be well. I want to be in his will and honoring to Him.”
Please keep Ravi in your prayers at this testing time.