Our son is being treated for brain and spine cancer. He's #5 of 7 children, so it's a pretty crazy time for us.
Here's how we look at the situation and how we've been led to proceed:
We believe that God can and does heal people every day. We know that people die from sickness and injuries every day. We know that God often uses doctors to heal people (we were led to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) - and often goes where medicine cannot. And we are praying, as are so many others, that God will heal our son.
We have all heard, "We'll pray that God's will be done", and I thought about the passages that talk about God's will for us in Christ and looked them up and it's really interesting. In the Scriptures after the Cross God's will is:
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (from 1 Thessalonians 5)
40 " For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
( - Jesus, from John 6)
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (from 2 Peter 3)
10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (from Ephesians 3)
God's will is that we know Him. Our son knows God and God knows our son - our son believes in Jesus and His Work on our behalf, so God's will has already been done in our son's life. Our prayer is of course that our son's life would be nice and long, but if it isn't, God is still good, and God is still faithful. And after life is lived, long or short, we have this promise:
"[He] I will raise him up on the last day."
So we pray - confident in a God Who can and does heal - yet choosing to trust Him, no matter the outcome.
Through this journey we're on, God has provided for ALL of our needs through His Body. We are so thankful for those who are willing to be the hands and feet of God and are loving and serving us well during this time.
Grace and peace,
-JGIG