Eventful VS. Eventual

I will tell you from experience after four days spent in a hospital, an eight hour break is not what you had in mind. That being said, its not one of those negotiable matters in life upon which you may impose your will. So - here goes, again.

Thursday (June 16th) we had the absolute pleasure of leaving the hospital after having a four day stay for chemo. We were barely down the road when Jada started coughing and crying in the backseat. To spare you the details, what followed was my first experience of maintaining the speed limit, staying in my own lane and managing to keep vomit off the seats of my pristine 1998 Olds by way of a collector's popcorn tin (Chicago Bears of course). That was the drive home. Cancer and its treatment always has the capability to throw curveballs which rival any professional in the majors right now.

We arrived home and Jada was not herself. After coaxing her to eat a piece of sweet corn for lunch she practically put herself down for a nap. She awoke screaming. "Not cool," you think as a parent - you would be right. This, however, is not uncommon. Jada to wake crying. What was unusual about this particular episode was simply that of the level of her screaming and apparent pain. Not constant, but major in moments. I called her oncologist and he asked to see her right away. Long story made very short - Jada was immediately re-admitted with a bad case of the shingles. We caught them early - thank the Lord - but there is much pain involved for her. And, the looming threat of yet another unplanned stay at the children's hospital of Illinois.

Once admitted we quickly settled in and are doing as well as can be expected. When I asked Jada today what it feels like (you must know that it hurts mainly when it is touched) she replied by saying, "It feels like someone is standing there with a knife poking it into my side and cutting me." I thought, "wow, that's way too specific to be made up." So, I taker her word for it.

So what now? What are we to make of such things? God's goodness is not lost in such times. We have already had ample opportunity to honor the name of Jesus and speak the Gospel into the lives of those we are coming in contact with. We truly are loving the nursing staff and all their efforts.

You may say, "this is just too much for Jada (and her family)!" Don't. Don't for a minute think that Jess and I have gotten through to this point with some magic formula or cleverly devised scheme which gives just the right amount of poise when necessary. We are where we are PRECISELY because of Jesus. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in I Cor. 15 - God's grace does not nullify our toil and striving - it actually gives them great purpose. We are, by God's grace, redeeming the time. Today Jada and I read (listened) to half of the book of Acts to help her see that those who love Jesus STILL SUFFER and to remind me of the same.

The crux of the matter is this if you believe in Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior: do you focus on the eventful or the eventual? Read those words carefully, because when the Spirit gave them to me today as I read through Titus and Philippians (in particular ch. 3) I was immediately comforted. This IS OUR AGE to experience trial, suffering, famine, nakedness, peril, danger, sword, bankruptcy, strife and all manner of difficulty. That is precisely what makes our lives so eventful right now. Believe it or not - there WILL BE a time when this is most assuredly not the case. Eventually, we will see Jesus face to face - our bodies will be restored, and our joy and crown will be to glory in Him all the day long.

Does it stink right now? You bet. But, I don't have to plant that in Jada's fertile little mind now do I? I can speak life to her through the WORD of God.

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