Sadly, when we went to visit friends in Nashua, New Hampshire, Tim a retired geriatric doctor whom I met 35 years ago working on the geriatric team shared that he has been diagnosed with bladder cancer. He wanted to tell us in person and not in a text or over the phone. He shared that there is a family history of cancer in his family. His aunt was diagnosed with the same cancer and she is a cancer survivor for seven years. He is now waiting for the tests results to see if they got all the cancer cells but knows further treatment will begin in January.
As you drive around and hear Christmas songs on the radio and see decorations everywhere. Hearing about the struggles of friends only heightens the emotion and pain. Maybe that’s an idealized thing from our childhoods that makes us want to lodge a complaint somewhere with the Lord reminding Him that this is supposed to be a “sadness-free” zone this close to His Birthday. It’s a difficult lesson in life to come to realize that whether it’s the Christmas season or not… whether you’re the most devout of believers or not – the reality that “life happens” that bad things happen to all people, good, bad, somewhere in between… is just that. It’s a reality we have to acknowledge. And it’s a reality that, in short, sucks.
Jesus – it’s not supposed to be this hard, this difficult….
Jesus it’s hard to believe in you when all these terrible things are happening around us – or when rough things are happening to my best friend Tim, your friends, your relatives – to me…
John the Baptist was in a desperate situation, imprisoned and Jesus speaks into his darkness… Not just to give him a hang in there buddy pep talk – but to speak faith-filled words that will renew John’s hope. And what an amazingly beautiful, hope filled response. No parables. No dodging. Jesus says : Go tell John what you hear and see – the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”
Jesus reminds John and to all who will listen how the world is changing. God has come, and remains with us. Emmanuel – God is with us. John might not feel it at that moment… and here’s the thing, we might not either from time to time when we know so many who are suffering, or are in pain, or are feeling lost, or feeling without hope. There are still evil forces to contend with.
Yet the good news is that those aren’t the end of any of our stories. As messed up, as painful as that dark night you are going through might be… As terrible or scared or afraid as we might be… The call of Advent is to not give up. We cry out “Come Lord Jesus”… whose coming is putting the forces of evil on notice that it’s reign is coming to an end.
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who are facing painful and dark nights. May we find hope and courage in your words to John: ”the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.” And the call of Advent is not to give up. I’m happy to report that my friend Tim received good news that he is cancer free. Praise God.
