The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
O Death, Where is Thy Sting?
There are times that Dan and I talk honestly and unafraid about death. One of those times was on September 29 when we received the call from Dan’s doctor telling him that five tumors were found in the PetCT scan done the day before. A later biopsy revealed them to be metastatic melanoma. Since November Dan has undergone bi-weekly immunotherapy infusions, the side-effects of which have become devastating. Frequent, unproductive coughing and digestive issues continue to plague him. The resultant sleep deprivation leave him exhausted during the day. The good news is that the tumors appear to be entirely absent from his most recent scan last week. I love that God has enabled the medical profession with advanced effective treatments for Dan’s cancer.
Each person has an appointment with death which was determined by God before we were even conceived. Something like cancer will neither change it, nor make it go away. Dan and I take great comfort in that fact because death is the most certain thing in life; well, yes, there are taxes too. But to know that God has even the time and date of our death under control is liberating. Cliff Farnsworth used to say, “Christians are immortal until our work for God on this earth is complete.” Because we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, believing His death on the cross to be payment for our sin and salvation forever, we don’t have to be anxious about something we have absolutely no control over anyway.
1 Corinthians 15:54-57 outlines both the basis and the outcome of the believer’s peace regarding death:
“When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jesus’ part in removing death’s power over us was prophesied in Hosea 13:14:
“I will ransom them from the power of the grave. I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues. O grave, I will be thy destruction.”
The pain of aging joints that no longer function well is of more concern to Dan and me than when our turn to go home to be with our Lord Jesus Christ will be. Hallelujah for the prospect of living forever in the light of His presence where there are no more tears, pain, or death (Rev. 21:4). Until then, 1 Corinthians 15:58 urges us, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Update/Prayer Request: During our visit with Dr. Shields yesterday, it became apparent that the CT scan Dan had last week was ordered in error and did not give us the information needed to determine Dan’s status. He will be having a PetCT scan sometime in the next couple of weeks. The doctor was encouraging regarding Dan’s health and prescribed a steroid inhaler that appears to be helping Dan’s cough. Finally some relief! Please pray for continued side-effect relief and stamina for a very busy next two weeks.
