Last
night, I received a call from a long-time friend who wanted to share that his
doctor has diagnosed him with prostate cancer. His medical team explained his
options, and so he’s quite concerned and needs our prayers.
Then
another online friend requested prayers for someone whose teenage children have
left home. However, the kids came home and trashed their parent’s apartment. At
the same time, this mother’s cancer has returned and she feels overwhelmed.
This
morning another friend has been waiting for two weeks after his alcohol
evaluation to start detox. He plans to drive to the clinic this morning with
his overnight bag in hand and scream, “I’m ready for treatment, what’s taking
so long!” In the meantime, he needs his pain medication to control his cancer.
Then
last night, yes Sunday night, I was requested to conduct a memorial prayer
service for a family whose brother committed suicide. Before the service, I met
the brother and sister, nieces, nephew and girlfriend. They shared wonderful
stories that he enjoyed riding horses and boating along the canal. However, he
struggled with depression.
Imagine
yourself standing on a dock beside one of those great old-time sailing vassals.
It’s standing there, sails folded, waiting for the wind. Suddenly the breeze
comes up, and the captain orders the sails to be hoisted and catches the sail
full force and carries the ship away from the dock, where you are standing.
Inevitably you are bound to say: “Well, there she’s goes!”
Soon
the mighty ship is on the horizon where it looks like a speck before it
disappears. It’s still grand and mighty, but it’s left us. We’re standing on
the dock quite alone. But imagine on the other side of the ocean people are
standing in anticipation and the speck on the horizon becomes larger and they
begin to cry something different. They are crying with joy, not abandonment.
“Here she comes!” And at the landing there is welcome, joy, embracing and
celebration.
When
you are on your knees and life is drifting away over the horizon, picture Jesus
waiting on the eternal shore, who understands the human heart even when everything has gone
wrong. And at that moment, instead of despair, fear and confusion,
we are filled with life and hope and in the arms of the One who makes all
things new again, the one who says, “Welcome little one. Welcome home.
This Easter season let us pray and remember: “He
will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and
carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.” (Isaiah
40: 11).
