Based on “Living from Bad to Worse” by Pastor Dave Folkerts;
8/21-22/10, Message #DF150; Daily Devotional #4 - “Unshakable Faith”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): November 1, 2005, is a day my family and I will never forget. I can’t ever remember a time when I had felt such shock and confusion. My dad had been battling with his health for a couple of years. He went to various doctors and they could not find what was wrong with him. Our family knew there was something seriously wrong, because we watched my dad deteriorate slowly over that period. One final doctor’s appointment landed him in the hospital—his kidneys had failed and they needed to figure out why. We received our answer that November day when we heard the dreaded word, “cancer.” Immediately he was hooked to tubes, started dialysis, and awaited the physician’s decisions on what course of treatment to administer to treat the cancer.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): The next few days were difficult. We were all making trips to the hospital and awaiting the reports, day by day. One day in particular sticks in my mind so vividly. Dad had been in the hospital nearly a week, and he started to look pretty good. The dialysis and the medications started to help him, and the steroids they gave him made him look as if he had put on all the weight he lost. He even had color. But, we all knew there was a disease still inside him that was ravaging his body, and soon enough chemo would have to begin. It was a Saturday afternoon, and my dad’s old friend drove up to see him and, of course, all of my family was there. But the time came when visiting hours were winding down, and we would soon have to leave. None of us had eaten, and we decided to get a bite to eat together. As we were leaving, I will never forget the look on my dad’s face. We would have to leave him behind. He was OK with that, but knowing he was going to be alone, hooked up to tubes, monitors, and meds no doubt left him feeling uneasy. Not only that, but this would be the first time he would not be able to attend. I guess you could say he was in a prison of illness and disease with no hope of escaping unless the hand of God intervened. Just as Joseph was in a prison due to no fault of his own, my dad was facing the same obstacle. His life was in the Lord’s hands, just as it was with Joseph (Genesis 39).
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): My dad is still on a journey, day by day. Originally doctors told him they could treat the cancer, but the kidneys may never recover. The Lord not only healed him almost instantaneously from the cancer, but also restarted his kidneys! For about a year or so, he was feeling great and looked wonderful. But he slowly started to deteriorate again, and we learned the cancer was back. He has since recovered from the cancer, but his body hasn’t. He lives with pain and fatigue each day. Again, the doctors aren’t sure why, and they don’t quite know how to treat him. It breaks my heart to see him like this. But, my dad has been a Follower of Christ for many years, and during this time I have not seen his faith waver. Yes, there are days he asks, “Why?” I also know he gets discouraged from time to time. But each day, he gets up, goes to work, and I don’t hear him complain. When I do call to ask him how he is doing, he says, “About the same, Heather Dawn, about the same.” I don’t understand why he has to go through all of this. Joseph didn’t understand either. It was as if Joseph was always “forgotten” or “set aside”. Not only do the ones going through the trial learn how to depend on the Lord, but those of us that are watching learn as well. My dad hasn’t had the easiest life, but I have learned so much from him during the trials he has experienced. Dad has taught me to learn to depend on the Lord. Earlier in his life, after becoming a Follower of Christ, things did go from ‘Bad to Worse’ for a time. He has had many trials during his life, as we all do at one time or another. But the Lord has had him on the mountaintop at times as well. If you are going through a tough time, hang on! It won’t last forever. Grab onto Jesus! (Matthew 9:19-22) Regardless of what happens in this world, He is with you! He will never leave you! (Hebrews13:5) Have faith, beloved, and know that nothing is impossible with God. After all, in the end, we win!
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Job 1-2; Genesis 39-41; Acts 12:6-8
HS
Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.