Corinthians 4 teaches:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Our spirits have been regenerated by the power of Christ, yet we are housed in bodies that are of this earth - we look forward to our glorified bodies we will receive after we pass from this life, but now, we reside in earthly bodies, "earthsuits" as Bible teacher Bill Gillham used to say. But, when these earthly bodies face affliction and even break down, we can be strong in spirit, trusting in the Lord and recognizing that His power is available; perhaps to heal our bodies, but definitely to shape our attitude toward Him - when we are weak, He is strong.
+++++
In our illnesses and our adversity, turning to God and trusting Him should be our first response. He is the God of restoration. James 5 says this:
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Every weekday, when the Faith Radio staff gathers for prayer, we have a number of people for whom we pray who have been afflicted by cancer. Cancer not only takes its toll on a person's body, but it affects a person's mental and emotional well-being, can provide a challenge for someone spiritually, and places a weight on the family. It is an all-inclusive, all-consuming illness - but there is hope available through the power of Jesus Christ. And, when we are afflicted by any disease, we can be drawn to pray.
Today's Famous Friday spotlights a singer and his wife who asked for prayer for their son, who was diagnosed with cancer late last year. A piece on the Breaking Christian News website, citing an article from the Gospel Herald site says that:
The sister of Michael Bublé shared an encouraging Bible verse on social media shortly after the Grammy Award-winning singer asked for prayers for his three-year-old son, Noah, who was recently diagnosed with cancer...
Noah's aunt Brandee Bublé, who is Bublé's sister, took to Instagram to offer some encouragement to her family: "And now these three remain: faith, hope, & love. But the greatest of these is love," reads the chalkboard writing on the photo—a Biblical quote from 1 Corinthians 13:13.Well, according to a story on the Christian Headlines website, Noah, who was diagnosed with liver cancer in November, is now cancer-free! The story, referencing a piece on the Christian Today site, relates that the boy's uncle, Dario Lapilato, said that: "For me, it's very difficult to talk about. But I believe in God and sought comfort in Jesus Christ and a miracle from God came, from the way it was discovered, after the operation, everything." The report said that, "He added that the miraculous healing proved to him that 'God exists.'
Michael himself posted on Facebook: "We are so grateful to report that our son Noah has been progressing well during his treatment and the doctors are very optimistic about the future for our little boy," adding, "He has been brave throughout and we continue to be inspired by his courage. We thank God for the strength he has given all of us. Our gratitude to his doctors and caretakers cannot be put into words."
Michael and his wife, Luisana Lopilato, have two sons, Noah and Elias.
And, in the process of putting together this post, I also came upon the news that legendary Christian music singer, Carman, has also been declared cancer-free. He posted on Facebook, "With Gods grace, coupled with your prayers and support I won my war and today I'm 100 % cancer free." He also gives a "Prayer Bear" to those in cancer treatment who attend his concerts - each bear's shirt includes the phrase, "Somebody's praying for me."
There are quite a few takeaways from these stories on this Famous Friday edition of the Front Room commentary, isolating "God-moments" in popular culture.
First of all, as I would think mostly anyone who has experienced it would agree: Cancer is devastating. That is a diagnosis that can set off a wide range of emotions, and marks the beginning of a difficult journey in most cases. But, in the midst of that and other illnesses, you can still maintain your hope in God; and perhaps ratchet it up a few notches! Hope can shape the attitude and enable you to trust God for His healing power to be released.
I also think about the Buble family - a 3-year-old child suffering from such a devastating disease. Parents can feel helpless when their children are going through an illness. Generally, there is a feeling of helplessness when another person suffers. But there are things you can do: show concern, attempt to help; if you're a caregiver, rely on God's strength to stand by and encourage your family member or friend. And, as the Buble relatives demonstrate: pray!
We can also be careful to give credit to God. On a couple of fronts: one is to trust Him, thank Him, and glorify Him in the midst of the struggle. Suffering comes to ultimately bring glory to God - so we can be encouraged: God has not left us alone in our despair. He walks with us, so we can acknowledge that. When we or someone we know is healed, we can be careful to thank God and give Him the glory in the healing! In all things, we seek to glorify the Lord.
Finally, as we see from Michael Buble's brother-in-law, suffering and how we respond can be a tool to communicate the love of God to others. He said that the healing of his nephew proves that "God exists." Contemplate that for a moment - he trusted the Lord through the trial, and on the other side, believed that the process communicated the message of the reality of the living God. He walks with us in our suffering, and has a purpose for us, even in the adversity we experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment