Monday, April 4, 2016

My Blossom Will Fade, but Not God - Further Thoughts on a Cancer Journey

My Vinca vine are blooming; a yard filled with beautiful delicate purple flowers. Fitting that our Sunday sermon was 1 Peter 1:22-25. This is about the transient nature of the flower as contrasted with the eternal nature of the Word of God.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.


Ultimately, what will we trust in? The things of the world that will all pass away, or God's Promises and His Word which will take us into eternity? If I'm trusting in the Vinca to keep my world beautiful, I will have about three or four weeks. This is a big HINT in which thing you ought to trust in.

My recent cancer diagnosis gives even more meaning to this verse. My body and all the woes of my body will pass away...but God endures, and He promises me my soul will always be with Him if I want to be with Him. I can choose Him or not, but if I do, He will NEVER let go of me.

In the morning before church, as I do every morning, I sent a Bible verse to the many women I follow who chose life over abortion through our sidewalk ministry. I often hear from them, about how the verse I sent was exactly what they needed to hear. God is remarkable in that way.

Yesterday, the mama I counseled and met only a week ago responded to my text. When I met her, I had promised her I would send her a Bible verse every day, unless something extreme prevented me being able to do so.

Here is her response to my Bible verse text: Thank you Vicky. You are a woman of your word. I appreciate you sending me the Bible verses everyday.

This made me smile. I thought about our sermon Sunday, and the eternal, living, abiding nature of God's word.

I texted back: You're welcome. Actually, I am not a woman of my word, but of THE Word. I am so glad you appreciate God's word. So do I.

This morning, since it is Monday, I head off to the abortion center sidewalks again. I will speak over a sound system, a megaphone, and through cupped hands many, many words to try to convince the women to choose life for their babies. My prayer is the words will not be my words, but God's Word. Only His Word has the power and conviction and promise that is unshakable, immutable, and transformative.

When I get home, I will sit on my porch and gaze at my Vinca flowers. They will soon be gone.

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1 Peter 1: 22-25 
22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25but the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

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