Thanks to all who prayed for my wife Teresa yesterday. It was a very long day and we spent some 8 hours at the cancer clinic, but as it turned out her first infusion of chemo went remarkably well and in fact she told me on the way home that that she felt the same as she did that morning when she arrived. She still feels good this morning and I’m cautiously optimistic. Most folks say that the third day after treatment is the worst, so we will continue to pray, but so far so good.
Last night when we got home and prepared to go to sleep I put my hand on her head and prayed. I did not ask God for anything, rather I thanked Him profusely for hearing our prayers and for answering them and seeing her through this difficult day. When I finished she thanked me for saying that prayer.
I responded that we should never go to the Lord in prayer and then when He answers, fail to thank Him.
I wonder how many of us forget . . .Selah
The cancer clinic was literally full of people getting chemo treatment. The room was divided by an aisle with patients adjacent and across from each other and I didn’t see a single stall unoccupied. I asked the nurse if it was that crowded every day. She responded yes, which is remarkable because the majority of cancer patients only receive chemo once every three weeks.
As I looked around the room I saw one lone patient smiling and that was Teresa. Most had expressions that appeared either angry or worried. I felt almost uncomfortable because we were laughing and talking to each other like we were at home without a care in the world while the others were just gloomily sitting there with sour expressions staring ahead.
I don’t know if these folks are believers or not, but I do know that with God and prayer there is always hope and no logical reason to be discouraged and be a “sad sack”. One doctor at Mayo expressed sentiment to the effect that he sees the desperation of people to live at any cost every day. He looked at me and said, “Sooner or later something is going to get us, be it cancer, heart disease, or just plain wearing out. We should just do the best we can and fight on, but realize that one day we will pass away.”
I told him that when a believer passes away the fun will just begin as we rejoice in heaven.
He was of Indian descent and looked at me wryly and did not comment. I regret not asking him if he was a believer, but I didn’t and he left for his next appointment.
I wish I would have told him that we should smile in knowing that a mansion is being prepared for us in a gorgeous place devoid of sickness, disease, death, or sin; a place where there will never be any tears, or sadness and streets of gold and crystal clear rivers. Heaven will not need lights, but will be illuminated by the presence of God and we will walk with him as Adam did prior to the fall only this go around will be better because our Savior will be there with us to remind us of His incomprehensible love for us.
I realize how hard it is to smile when you are racked with pain and want to cry, but God wants us to put our faith in Him whereby we can find hope that only comes from Him. Fight through your pain today with a smile on your face and in calmness. God loves you and will NEVER leave you. We might not always see it or understand it, but just the same it is even more of a sure thing than the sun coming up in the morning.
1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.