Last Thursday, March 15th, my wife went to her OB/GYN after discovering a lump on her breast that was causing some pain. Her doctor confirmed that there was indeed a lump present and ordered that a mammogram be performed within days. My wife went straight from the doctor's office to Youth Pastor Debbie for prayer. I'm confident that many fervent prayers went up to our Father in the days following. And we waited... Over the past week since learning of this potentially life threatening preliminary diagnosis, my wife has had total peace and was not at all concerned by the doctor’s diagnosis. Some of you all already know that I already have a life-ending diagnosis from one of the finest medical centers in the United States. Now my family is faced with another "crisis" to deal with. One of my friends on a forum that I frequent for users of wheelchairs has a tagline that says something like "I know that God will never give me more than I can handle; but, I just wish that God did not trust me to safely handle so much." Have you ever had that kind of thought before? Trust me; we certainly have! In all of that, however, we continue to serve our Lord Jesus Christ with the passion as if there were no tomorrow. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it. 10:14 Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I like the way The Message phrases those two verses:
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can.
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
That is why, even faced with the "death sentence" that my doctors have given me, I can continue with the assignment that God has given me to carry out. I know that there is no death for me as promised in John 3:16: 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Just a little while ago, I received the phone call that I had been waiting for. My wife had just left the follow-up doctor's appointment and was given the news... Nothing Found! TYJ! We serve an awesome God! |
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