Originally published Tuesday, 02 July 2013.
A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. John 10:10 (MSG)
“I had a rough night. Better once they gave me something for nausea. I just want to come home though.”
I woke to that message from my husband and I felt angry and sad and helpless.
He’d typed that message while lying in a hospital bed 40 minutes from home and I could do nothing to make him feel better. I had to just trust that the incredible nurses looking after him would do everything in their power to make him as comfortable as possible.
It was then a verse I’d memorized in my childhood came to mind,
“Cancer comes only to steal and destroy but I have come to so that you can have life, real and eternal life, more and better life then you have ever dreamed of.”
Okay, the bible doesn’t say cancer, it says thief, but cancer sure feels a lot like a cat burglar who takes what it wants and leaves destruction.
But the verse doesn’t end with the thief. The words that come immediately after promise that Jesus has come so that we may life, and a better life than we ever dreamed of.
A little bit of hope shone through as I thought on these words. In this world our troubles and sufferings might win but in God’s realm our story always ends with life.
Jesus wants us to know life as he imagined it. (tweet this)
I don’t know what that life looks like but I know that it is more joy, freedom, love and grace then I have ever experienced.
I love that Jesus spoke about life right after death because so often in the midst of suffering and grief we forget that the “thief” doesn’t have the last word.
I don't know what your "cancer" is or what the thief has stolen from you but I do know that this is not how the story ends, that it is not the final word on your life, God has more for you.
No matter how our stories begin when Jesus is involved they always end with life, life and more life. (tweet this)
Ponder: What has happened in your life that has been a thief and stolen something from you? Do you have hope that God can restore what has been stolen with life, life and more life?
Prayer: Lord, I believe that you can give me hope where the thief has stolen from me. I thank you for life, life and more life that will spring out of places that I thought were dead. Amen
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