We are thankful for the support of a christian friend who is about four months ahead of us in going through treatment for breast cancer. Jan was regularly phoning her to support her, now she is doing the same for us.
She was triumphant that she had just managed to take a week away at a friends 10 miles away from her city flat. How cancer reduces our horizons, our last week away was to the Italian lakes and alps.
She phoned last night somewhat depressed as her planned radiotherapy was postponed on the day it started. No explanation was given, she must wait for a week to see the consultant for an explanation. How callous the NHS is in handling the emotions of those they treat.
Fortunately Jan was able to lend a sympathetic ear, promise prayer, and a group from her church will visit within 24 hours.
We again read from the bible in Ephesians chapter 5 verses 19 and 20. "Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is so similar to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 16 to 18, "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
We struggle with these passages. John Piper and David Powlinson who have both had cancer take them literally, that we thank God for our individual cancer, whereas a book by Michael Baughen suggests one thanks God in our circumstances, but not for our circumstances. We are not sure of the answer, but certainly at present Jan sees our circumstances and this cancer as God ordained to draw us excitingly close to him.
We wonder whether singing in our heart as commanded by Paul to the Ephesians could be a technique to help us put God and his power first in our minds and lives
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