Proverbs 20:24 Man’s steps are ordained by the LORD, How then can man understand his way?
This Sunday morning I received news from Ken Davis that his cancer has become much more aggressive–it doesn’t look good. He has diligently worked holistically to treat his stage 4 cancer, and he has, until now, had remarkable success. I am praying that God will put Ken’s cancer into remission.
At the same time, I am reminded that, at 63, longevity is not guaranteed. I can and should be diligent to maintain my health, but, in the end, God will tell me when it is time to go. Until then, I will pursue God and His desire for my life and calling.
As I think of my many friends, I am prompted to include another verse from Proverbs 20. Verse 9 reads, “Who can say, “I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin”?
If we are honest with ourselves, we will need to admit that we are not pure from sin. All of us have done things which we know are shameful and which deserves God’s judgment. The questions is this, How can I make things right with God? The answer is by admitting our guilt and trusting in our Father’s provision for our sin–Jesus Christ. Jesus, our Savior, has never sinned, yet he died as our sin bearer. He took our gross part upon Himself, so that He could offer us forgiveness and life with Him.
Undoubtedly, we will need to make things right with people whom we may have injured. We may need to ask forgiveness from them as well, but it all starts with being right with God who is our ultimate judge.
This all began for me years ago on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. My life with God began when I confessed my guilt, my record of hurting people, and accepted Jesus as my Savior. Since then, it has been all about learning to live with and for Him.
Living for God is not a chore for me but life itself. I have come to love God whom I know through Jesus Christ. He knows me and accepts me even while He changes me. He is my constant companion. He will see me through death into His wonderful presence.
I hope this helps a friend.
Dear friend,
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I thank the Lord for his grace and love in Jesus Christ. Although you write that “at 63, longevity is not guaranteed…” I do think that even at 31 (my current age) longevity is not guaranteed! Lets push the argument a little more to the limit, though: Even at 1 year of age, longevity is not guaranteed..This was the sad case for baby Charlie Gard in the UK, who passed away very publicly just one week before his first birthday due to an extremely rare disease. Yes, death is scary for everyone. Even Jesus himself – in his human flesh – was very scared to die. (Luke 22: 41-44) However, we Christians know that God is in control of everything and that, in the end, we will have the great honor of being able to see him face to face for all eternity. Thank God for such a privilege! Life is a blessing and I pray that God allows us to live it according to his will, not ours.
Hey Jose,
I saw this long ago when you wrote it. I thought I should say thank you.