“Terrible Illness, Terrific Love”
It was a cold, snowy Wednesday night at 7:20 p.m. The First Baptist Bible Fellowship small group which meets in the parlor had just spent a few minutes sharing matters of praise and updating prayer concerns. Now it was time for us to engage in the essential work of giving thanks, confessing sin and interceding for others. It was time to pray.
With heads bowed and hearts uplifted, one of our group members began, “Lord, as I review the persons noted on our prayer list tonight, I count eight of them who are undergoing treatment for cancer.” She continued to lead us as we interceded for each individual and family battling this dreaded disease.
I am grateful for each of our FBBF groups. I am encouraged by those of you who gather at the church for praise and prayer on cold, snowy nights. You know the importance of prayer, especially for those who are confronting cancer.
Some of you have come face to face with this enemy in recent time. Some of us have supported loved ones, family members and friends in the trenches. Some have endured past battles. Some are presently on the front lines. Some will face this foe one day to come. Cancer is a terrible illness. But, strange as it may sound, many who endure this disease also experience a sense of God’s presence and love as never before.
When the Lord carries you through the cancer wars, you know his love can and will keep you anywhere. Some of the most joyful, lively people that you or I will ever know are people who have survived battles with cancer. In my memory, perhaps the only people more joyful than these survivors of cancer have been some Christian sisters and brothers who did not survive.
Does this mean that cancer is “good”? No, not at all. It simply means that the Lord is good. Many of us know from the painful, arduous experience of loved ones, family and friends that cancer is an all-consuming battle. But it is possible, in the midst of the battle, to know our Good Shepherd and Great Savior and to enjoy his love as never before.
Dr. David Feddes writes, “Cancer itself is cruel. The attempted cures for it can seem even more cruel. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy--these things can make a cancer clinic seem like a fierce and fearsome place. After surgery a person may awaken with pain and discomfort, saddened by how they look and feeling even worse. During radiation and chemotherapy, a person may lose their hair, lose their energy, and feel worse yet: Too weak to work, too nauseous to eat, too wired to sleep. And in the middle of the night, lying awake in the dark, daytime worries seem to grow into troubling fears. Some of the fears are wild and irrational, but some are quite realistic. A person often comes to realize that they wouldn't be the first cancer patient to suffer all manner of discomfort and end up dying anyway.”
It's hard for anyone, even the most heroic Christian, to face cancer. But it's far worse, I suspect, for those who don’t know the Good Shepherd at all. How can someone deal with such an awful disease on their own? How can someone look death in the face without the Lord at their side? If a person isn’t trusting Jesus as their Savior, then cancer may be a harsh wake-up call. Many people, when healthy, give little thought to God. But not surprisingly, cancer teaches us otherwise. This fearsome enemy beckons us to know and fully trust in the Lord and in His love.
But, thankfully, once we know and receive God’s love for us in His Son Jesus Christ, we can face any foe, even an enemy like cancer. We can be confident knowing that nothing can separate us from God’s love. We can be comforted knowing that others care, and that each week Christian sisters and brothers are engaging in prayer on our behalf. We can be calm knowing that God will hold us and help us through the darkest times. No matter what lies ahead, worn and weary as we are, we can rest in a love that will not let us go.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Gary Bruland
News and Notes for March
First Baptist Bible Fellowships are meeting Sunday mornings at the church, and during the week in homes and at the church. You are invited to visit any of Winter Quarter Small Groups noted on the foyer bulletin board. Get connected with an FBBF!
“Do, Love, Walk and Give” is the theme of our 2004 America for Christ home mission emphasis and offering being received at First Baptist during March. This year’s offering, which supports our national and regional ministries, is based on Micah 6:8. “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?” Our congregational goal is to surpass $2,500 for this year’s A.F.C. offering which is being received until dedication Sunday, March 28. Thanks for your prayers and gifts to America for Christ!
M.A.L.T.—Monthly Advanced Leadership Training will be held on Monday, March 1 at 7:00 p.m. in the church parlor. MALT is designed for persons who have completed CLASS 201, 301 and/or 401. March’s topic is “Leadership is Serving Others”.
The Board of Ministry meets on Monday, March 1 from 7:45 to 9:00 p.m. in the parlor.
CLASS 101 for Kids will be held on Saturday, March 6, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. beginning in the upstairs large classroom. Topics include: Knowing Jesus and being saved; following Jesus in baptism; growing to serve Jesus as a member of the church. This class is designed for children in grades 3 to 6, and each child is asked to bring one parent or guardian to the class with them. This special FBBF is led by Peter Bruland, assisted by Pastor Gary. If interested or needing information, see Peter or Pastor.
The Mission of the Month for March features two Christian literature ministries: the Our Daily Bread outreach of RBC in Grand Rapids; and the American Bible Society based in New York. First Baptist Bible Fellowships and Sunday School classes are asked to uphold these literature ministries in prayer and also remember them with their weekly offerings.