A time for defiant hope
Regular readers of this blog will have noticed that things have been a little quiet on here over the past few days. You will be aware, too, that I rarely write about my own family here. However, there are moments when the personal and professional lives of the preacher collide, and this is one of them.
Two years ago my wife underwent treatment for cancer, and ever since we have been waiting for ‘the other shoe to drop’. That happened on Thursday of last week, and the cancer has now appeared in her lung. Intensive chemotherapy and surgery will now follow in short order.
It’s easy to feel that news such as this could not possibly come at a worse time than Easter. After all, like many preachers I shall take to the pulpit at the weekend to proclaim God’s spectacular resurrection power and the Christian’s indefatigable hope. Surely, though -this is the very time when we need such hope? Theological truth and the realities of life have to intersect, or it wasn’t really truth at all. For us to stand and sing ‘Thine be the glory’ on Sunday will be an act of faith – nothing more nor less.
These pages may well be a little quieter over the next few months, and those who are inclined to pray would be welcome to do so.
Definitely praying… x
So sorry to hear of your wife’s illness. You are both on my prayer list Easter and everyday.
Ouch! Praying for you both…
Easter prayers from here, Richard.
Sorry to hear that Richard. Will endeavour to pray for you regularly
Praying for you both.
As everyone else has said: will be praying
So sorry. I too am the same as everyone. Prayer – its the one thing we can do. Many blessings.
Sorry to hear this, mate! May you both be assured of prayers from here and will pray for you at WOWChurch tomorrow…
On a pastoral note, here is something I shared when I least preached a couple of weeks ago, which I am sure you are aware of and take comfort from… http://davegroberts.podbean.com/2012/03/31/jesus-mocked-crucified/
“The awesome and Almighty God, who was outside of time and space, entered time and space, to intimately know what suffering was, because of the suffering Jesus endured on the Cross. Matthew’s Innocent Suffering King, is the reason why we who are Christians, have a hope. Because the God we serve, personally knows suffering and has endured suffering just as we do and have done.
God isn’t an inanimate and passive carving placed on a shelf or a wall which is immune to the suffering of the world. No! Our God is a personal, dynamic and active God who knows the suffering we ourselves endure – because He Himself has suffered. Not some pathetically lifeless, unemotional and unresponsive statue on a shelf but an intimate, dynamic, responsive and living personal being who has shared in our sufferings through Jesus on that cross.
I don’t know how you or those you love are suffering today. I don’t need to know. But I do know that God knows, and that He knows about personal suffering, because this great and awesome God, suffered on a Roman cross, 2000 years ago.”
Richard, so sorry to hear your news. Praying wordlessly and feeling you pain.God bless, John
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Just caught up on your blog. Sustained prayers for both of you. G.
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