I was just beginning to write about – no kidding – the beginning. I’m getting stuff from both a Jewish and Christian point of view. And then it hit me. Can we have faith in God if we want to know everything? Can we reach a point where our need to know everything brings us to a point where faith means little to nothing?
My radiation treatment for prostate cancer is finished. So, what’s next? Do I get to just move on with life and put this behind me? Uh – no. Cancer isn’t something you can just say that it’s over and forget about it. But then, there’s so much that I’ve learned along the way, it’s not something I want to forget either.
What if I told you that Having cancer is a highlight of my life? Do you think that’s true or false? Or maybe you think I’ve lost it? Well, it’s absolutely true. Seriously. It really has been.
Complain about God to God? Is that a good thing? How many of us are afraid to complain to God about Himself? Or think that’s a bad thing to do? Maybe even a sin? On the other hand, how many of us are so angry about our issues with God, valid or not, that we don’t hesitate to make a list of our complaints and then “let Him have it”?
The Bible tells us that God says “vengeance is mine”. But even Christians are people. And people tend to want to get our own revenge. So it leaves us with a bit of a problem. Sometimes a huge problem. If we don’t trust God to get the revenge He claims as His own, then do we even trust God to save us? And if not God, then who will save us?
Seriously? Take refuge and be glad? Aren’t we fighters? Can’t we take care of ourselves? Why should we settle for just taking refuge instead of going on a counterattack?
Christians talk about God’s peace. Do things need to be going well in order to feel that peace? Or can we feel God’s peace when things start to improve? Or, would you believe, can we feel His peace even if nothing’s changed about our situation at all?
What do you do when you have cancer, and it’s Christmas, with all sorts of happy joyful people? But hey, is that really the question? Shouldn’t it really be, what do you do when you have cancer, and the world goes on? Does it really matter whether or not it’s Christmas? The core question remains. Does it help to lift up cancer to Jesus?
The following is a Christmas conversation with Jesus. Many of us Christians have had this conversation. Maybe not all of it. But certainly, parts of it. Maybe not out loud. But in our heads, almost certainly.
When you read it, the concept of the tree without fruit and the warning of repent or perish makes sense. Well, it should make sense to Christians. However, I believe there’s more to it than we might think.
God and me - this life and the next 