Along the Way

I had the blessed privilege of chatting with a special woman of faith yesterday. She has just received word from the doctors that she has advanced stomach cancer. He told her to get her things in order. As I sat by her bed, I was reminded again of the cruelty of the curse that we have brought upon ourselves as fallen human race. This is certainly not the way God meant for his creatures to experience life. Sickness, aging and death are intruders. Yet, they seem to bring out the glory of God in people. I asked her if she was ready to finish her journey. "Yes, I want it to be over. I want to go home." I inquired further, "Are you ready to go home?" "Yes," was her answer without hesitation, "My faith is in Jesus Christ. That's what is really really important in life." It is not the adversity and lose that challenges our faith, it's the prosperity and health. Does she struggle with her faith? Of course. I read Romans 8:31-39, "Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." She said that there are times when she is tempted to question, "is this all true?" We talked about how the enemy of her soul relentlessly attacks to destroy her faith, even more so now as she approaches the end of her journey. She must turn her thoughts towards the truth of God's Word in times of temptation. We prayed together and I left more blessed than when I had arrived. Here was a woman who has lost all that this life has to offer and she was content. Why? Her hope is beyond this life, where our journey truly comes to an end.