That Dreaded Word - Cancer

On Monday, June 27th, our lives at the Nulf family changed forever.  To what extent that change will be is yet to be determined.  This was the infamous day my wife Brenda told me that the biopsy that was done came back positive.  That dreaded word that everyone fears came crashing through my mind when my wife told me that she had cancer.  The technical term the doctors gave us was Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, which is a form of breast cancer.

I don't want to sound pious here, but my wife and family have been incredibly blessed.  Not to say that we have not had our share of problems and issues in our lives, but for the most part, life has been pretty good - praise be to God!  In fact, we often talked about that over the last few years and wondered if and when our time would come.  Don't get me wrong, it's not that everyone has to go through great tragedies and deep valleys in their life, but we also understand that we were by no means exempt from it.  In fact, the Bible tells us that if we are living for Christ, you will go through trials and tribulations and we are to count it all joy (James 1:2). 

I have often preached that God's glory is seen greatest and clearest through the suffering of his children.  That may sound strange to you, but it's not strange to the Scriptures and all anyone has to do is look at God's only begotten Son and the Cross at Calvary.  I will tell you that God's glory has never been nor will be ever greater or clearer than when his Son Jesus willingly went to the Cross at Calvary and died for your sins and mine.

For whatever reason God has chosed Brenda and the Nulf family, our greatest desire is to glorify our Father as we travel this road.  I will tell you that God's grace has been incredible!  The following day my wife told me that she had cancer my devotion time took me to Psalm 23.  What a word from the Lord.  I have used that passage many times as a pastor to minister to people with the wonderful word of God.  Now that verse spoke to me and my heart as never before - He is MY Shephered and 'Oh' how he has continued to restore my soul! 

When I had finished my devotions, I powered up my computer where I found a church member had posted on Facebook a video - the video was the song "It is well with my soul".  Most of us know the story behind that song and those wonderful words became mine - "it is well with my soul." 

The following day (Wednesday), my daily Bible reading took me to Ezekiel 24.  As I read, I came upon Ezekiel 24:15-24.  God said that He was going to take Ezekiel’s wife; the “delight of his eyes” was going to be taken away from him as a sign to what was going to happen with the judgment and destruction of Jerusalem.  What’s interesting in these verses is what’s not said.  Nowhere in this text do you hear Ezekiel’s protest to God.  Folks we are bought with a price, and our life is not our own (1 Cor. 6:20).  In other words, there is nothing that God does not have the right to ask of you or me.  And in whatever He may ask of us, we are to glorify Him.  If we are to share in His glory, we must also be willingly to share in His suffering. 

I would submit to you that in suffering, the temptation is the same wheter it is coming from cancer, persecution or even when you are slandered.  And the temptation is always to say, "God is not good, and it is not worth serving him, and escaping from this suffering becomes the focus and this sinful way then becomes preferred and dominates our lives." My resolution and Brenda's is that we will trust him and keep trusting him; we have and will continue to experience his soverign mercy and overwhelming grace towards us.  We will hold on to him as he is holding on to us. 

Dear God, we thank you that we have been counted worthy to suffer for you. May we, through this bring honor and glory to your name for you are worthy!