Faith was part of every area in Laurie’s life, including cancer. I honestly don’t know how she would’ve persevered if it wasn’t for her faith in God. Her hope wasn’t in chemo or doctors, it was in the gospel truth.
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; He Who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He Who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; He will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” (Psalm 121)It has been over two months of weekly traveling to Seattle for cancer treatment on a clinical trial. As I fly near the massiveness of Mount Rainier twice a week, I am reminded that no matter how insurmountable the journey appears, it is made possible only by the grace of God, my Helper and Protector: Almighty, Faithful, and Sovereign. No matter what obstacles appear on my path, the LORD is the One in charge, not only now, but forevermore. Great news!
My scan revealed stable disease, which means that the cancer is not growing, which is good. I will remain on the clinical trial for two more months and see what the next scan reveals. I had a remarkable decrease in my tumor marker early on, but since then, the marker has been mostly up, but one time down. It has been a roller coaster emotionally, which aptly describes what 4th stage cancer can be when you focus on scans, tests, and treatments. It has been a time of pruning for me, as the Lord has brought me back to the basics once again. Where is my hope? If not in Him alone, I will be carried to and fro like the ocean waves. No, the anchor which holds me steady amidst the raging storm is the triune God Himself.
“So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of His purpose, He guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 6:17-20)
While I am grateful for good scans and cancer treatment, my hope is not in them, but in the gospel of Christ. What is the gospel?
I think the following definition, by Jeff Purswell, seeks to capture the substance of the gospel:
“The gospel is the good news of God’s saving activity in the person and work of Christ. This includes his incarnation in which he took to himself full (yet sinless) human nature; his sinless life which fulfilled the perfect law of God; his substitutionary death which paid the penalty for man’s sin and satisfied the righteous wrath of God; his resurrection demonstrating God’s satisfaction with his sacrifice; and his glorification and ascension to the right hand of the Father where he now reigns and intercedes for the church.”
“Such news is specific: there is a defined ‘thatness’ to the gospel which sets forth the content of both our saving faith and our proclamation. It is objective, and not to be confused with our response. It is sufficient: we can add nothing to what Christ has accomplished for us–it falls to us simply to believe this news, turning from our sins and receiving by faith all that God has done for us in Christ.” – C.J. Mahaney
In a world that muddies the waters of faith, I must preach the gospel to myself daily. To rejoice in the great gift I’ve received. To reflect of the wondrous future that’s mine. To rest in the completed work of Christ.
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19)
My prayer is that all reading this will have the same assurance I have in Christ. For my brothers and sisters in Christ going through storms in this life, may this hymn minister to you.
(This hymn was written after the death of the author’s four daughters. The words speak to the eternal hope that all believers have, no matter what pain and grief befall them on earth.)
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.Refrain
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.Refrain
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!Refrain
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.Refrain
But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!Refrain
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.Refrain
For His glory alone,
Laurie Bigham
August 24, 2011