Hope
“Have you considered my servant Nancy?”
This twist to Job 1:8 has crossed my mind multiple times over the last 3 weeks. As you might recall, Job was a righteous man of God who was of particular interest to Satan because of Job’s love of and faith in the Lord. And even though we do not completely understand the whys of suffering, God allowed Satan enough power to test Job’s commitment by stripping him of many, if not all, of his blessings. Job passed the test. He remained faithful and continued to praise the Lord with his testimony.
Recently, our friend and UBO board member has been in a battle against acute myeloid leukemia that came on so suddenly and rather severely, and it sent all of us who know and love Nancy into a tailspin. I think it can be said unanimously that Nancy has been a spiritual mentor to those of us blessed to know her. She oozes grace. She is deeply in love with the Lord and most weeks doesn’t go a day without telling someone of His faithfulness. So only naturally, those of us who know her asked many times those first few days after diagnosis, “Why?” It is the age-old question, with an answer that will never fully be known this side of heaven.
But Nancy stays faithful. And I know that it’s sticking like a sesame seed in the back teeth of the enemy! And that’s okay. She wants every minute of this trial to be a testimony to God’s goodness, His providence, His love and mercy, His glory and His grace. But it makes me think of those who suffer without knowing of God’s goodness. . .those who endure trials without the benefit of knowing
- God’s promises (2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’)
- God’s peace (Philippians 4:7 “. . .that surpasses all understanding”)
- God’s hope (Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”)
- God’s plan (Romans 8:28 “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God)