The other day I drove my wife to her doctor’s appointment. As I usually do, I sat in the car reading a textbook for the current class I am taking. About an hour and a half later, my wife was finished with the appointment, came out to the car and gave me the news. The doctor thought that the mole that was on her might be cancerous. He was concerned with the potential depth of the possible cancerous mole and said it would take about a week to get the results of the biopsy.

After we left the doctor, Michelle and I went to get something to eat. As our meal was being served, I looked at her across the table and had to hold back the tears. I kept thinking, “I can’t lose her.” You see, it was about two years ago that I sat by my father’s bedside, while he lay dying of cancer and the memory of that experience still lingers. As I sat there eating supper with Michelle, the thought of the possibility seeing her go through the same thing was almost more that I can handle.

While there probably will not be anything to come of this, it did lead me to ponder on the truth found in Psalm 103:1-4. The Psalm starts of by describing who God is. The Psalmist called God, “Lord,” and states correctly that He is holy. As I arrived home that night I opened up this verse and it reminded me to look at who God is. He is the all powerful God who is deserving of worship and praise despite my circumstances.   Consequently, I began to praise him and give him the honor and glory that is due Him.

However, the hymn doesn’t stop by describing who God is. It goes on to recount what God does. In effect, what the psalmist does is relate who God is with what He does. This all powerful, all knowing God pardons iniquities, heals bodies, redeems lives, and crowns us with loving kindness and compassion. What the Holy Spirit ministered to me was that I should first look to God and see Him for who he is. When I do this, faith is built up in me because I now see what he can do. Therefore, if the test results come back negative, which I am trust God that it will, it reflects a God who is executing His sovereign protection. If the test concludes that it is in fact cancer, the God that I worship is also the God who can heal. Despite what happens, I can take solace in the fact that an all-powerful God who is sovereign, is in complete control of my situation.