Intentional

Sunrise Rincon Mountains - Tucson

Time passages seem much more significant when the scene of the sand running through the hourglass seems to trickle through at a much more rapid rate. Just growing older makes it more obvious that time is precious, not unlimited as we tended to live when young and spry. June 1, my husband and I celebrated our 16 year wedding anniversary. Praise the Lord I am still here to spend time with my husband and continue finding out how the Lord wants to use my testimony to glorify Him. May 27 marked an anniversary of a different kind– one year since my left lung was removed in the battle against cancer.

As a Christian, long ago knowingly set free from bondage to sin and death, I am grateful to the Lord Jesus for salvation. An attitude of gratitude comes to the forefront for each day I am able to continue taking in oxygen, all the more so using just one lung! Constant awe might more accurately describe the realization that though medical professionals weighed my chance of still being here as less than 25%, the Lord God has seen fit to continue my sojourn here for a while longer; hours, days, years, known only to Him. My job description given each day I wake up is to simply seek to do His will. Suffering, I think, is a relative term when going through cancer. After all, it’s different for everyone depending on the stage one is at. Right now, my physical capacities are at about 75%. Other people can do more or less than I can do, but no matter what condition we all find ourselves in we can still be used by God to touch hearts and lives.

The Apostle Paul didn’t have an easy time staying faithful to Christ. Paul described his life as a Christian this way: “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-11) With regard to hard pressed, a sermon I heard once pointed out the illustration of the olive press.  This press must work very hard to extract the oil from the olive and so must the Lord work hard to make us meet for His use. Paul is exhorting us here to remember the greater good at work when going through life trials – so others will see Jesus carrying us through.

Sunset - Gates Pass Tucson 

Yes, I do believe the Lord has us all here for a reason. Not so we can indulge our flesh by much inward gazing, trying to uncover our individual giftings. No, I believe no matter what state we find ourselves in at this moment, the Lord simply wants us to walk in obedience with Him knowing the best is yet to come. God’s Word assures us, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." (1 Corinthians 2:9) Heaven, meeting Jesus face to face, never again to experience crying or dying and this isn’t even the half of what’s in store for those who love and seek to follow God. We can’t be obedient in our own strength. Our sufficiency for such things is of God. While we are in these earthly tents, let us focus simply on the fact that God has intentionally allowed us to be here at this time and in this place so that we might intentionally allow Him to live in us and through us.

For more posts from Comfort in Christ Cancer Support go to http://comfortinchristcancersupport.blogspot.com/

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