By Kevin Moore
Today we learnt that a dear friend of ours has been diagnosed with cancer in her ovaries. The consultant’s original thoughts were that the large tumor detected from the CT scan was probably a benign ovarian cyst similar to one our friend underwent surgery for 18 only months previously. At that time, she lost one ovary but was comforted by the fact that her remaining one was okay. Now she is awaiting an operation to remove the cancer along with all that is left of her reproductive system and she is only in her late twenties without any children so far. We cannot even begin to grasp what must be going through her mind at this time as she faces an uncertain future and grapples with the thought of never being able to bear children.
As Christians we are often asked the question “why do the worst things happen to the nicest people?” Our friend is truly one of those “nice” people. She is kind, compassionate and is always at the front of the queue to offer help of any kind when a need arises. She takes good care of herself physically and mentally, eating healthily with regular exercise. So why her and not some evil psychotic child killer who probably cares little about anyone but themselves? Where you may ask is God in all of this and does He really care about our dear friend? I guess right now she too is asking some similar questions and I believe that God is listening. We recently lost Julie’s ex-husband to stomach cancer so we have asked God some of those same searching questions ourselves.
I reckon that God doesn’t orchestrate all the terrible things that go on in the world but they happen to us because man has been given free will. The freedom to choose good or bad including the choice to fall from grace which allowed evil into this world. However I hold dear in my heart the verses from the Bible “God works for good in ALL things with those who love him”. Even in the most awful circumstances I trust that God will render some good and my life experience so far has proved this to be true. But there is more, God has the power through our faith and prayers to change things as we turn to him for help. Even now, whilst our friend awaits her operation, we will be earnestly praying in faith that our dear Lord Jesus Christ will perform one of His miracles. We don’t begin to try to understand the how’s or why’s, we will just reach out in faith and call upon the power of his name.
Abraham’s wife laughed at God when he promised her a son in her old age and she then tried to “help out” by offering her servant girl as a surrogate. Gods promise however was fulfilled as He had said it would be and she did bear a son of her own. The scriptures are crammed with such accounts of miracles and God’s people have continued to witness his amazing power at work in the world right up to the present day. Something I have observed in my lifetime is how God chooses to use people to fulfill his purposes and bring glory to his name.
Whenever Julie and myself are faced with life’s challenges we have always prayed that God will work in the hearts and minds of the people involved. So that will be the theme of our prayers for our dear friend over the coming days. That God will work with the consultant and medical team, they will be able to remove the cancer whilst leaving her reproductive system intact. That she may go on to bear children and bring glory to God through a quick and complete recovery.
We pray that our Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit will speak to you through these words and that His good and perfect will for your life today shall in some way be made known to you through them.
Amen.
