A Plea

I just found out this weekend that my Dad has lymphoma. That's a type of cancer, specifically of the immune system and affecting the lymph nodes. He had some swelling of his lymph nodes and went to the doctor, who performed a biopsy a week ago. Only the preliminary tests are in so far, but he does indeed test positive for lymphoma, though we won't know more information about it until further test results come in. I need you all to pray for him and his health.

He actually is dealing with it very well - probably better than most of us, which I can only attribute to his firm faith in God and His love, provision, and sovereign will. And that's the position I pray that we all will take as we face this challenge, especially when treatment, probably a mix of chemo and radiation, starts.

I know it's often common practice for us to pray for God's will in these situations, and that we will understand it regardless of the outcome, and I want to ask you to pray for those things. But honestly, I want more than that. When the sick, the invalid, the dying, and the possessed were brought to Jesus, people didn't ask Him to just let them have peace about whatever outcome God willed for them, leaving with a handful of reassurance and a parcel of hope that maybe one day things would be better. They came to Him and asked to be healed, and so they were healed. They trusted in the character of God: that He is a God Who desires good for His creation and desires to heal. I want my Dad to be healed, and I trust that God will do so if we ask it of Him. And so I'm asking that you pray not just that we would be comforted during this time, that the treatments would go well, that we would understand God's will, or even that my Dad will get better under the care of the doctors, but that God would heal him and remove the cancer that is in his body. He is more than sufficient for such a request.

Thank you all so much for your support and your prayers. I'm sure that God will not hear them in vain. May He bless you all as He continues to bless us.

"This is what the LORD says:
'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on the earth,
for in these I delight,'
declares the LORD."
- Jeremiah 9:23-24