Joy, Joy, Joy!

She was ecstatic!  She had just heard good news and she was filled with happiness.  She was awed by how God had worked in her life.

The news came back from Dr. Amy's office.  Your MRI is clear!  Again it is clear!  Since August 2010, the MRIs had continued to be clear.  That meant...NO CANCER!  She felt uplifted, energized and even more eager to exercise and continue therapy.  Then she asked Dr. Amy, "What are the chances of someone surviving my kind of cancer?" Dr. Amy responded to her question, "Survival rate is only 15%."  Only 15%?  She was stunned.

She thought back to July 8, 2010. "Your cancer occurs in about 2-3% of the population....is very rare, aggressive and lethal," said Dr. C., the oncologist at Syracuse. "You have seven weeks to live." But then he added, "We think we have found a chemo that might work."

She couldn't get it out of her head.  She had survived a lethal cancer.  She wasn't special, she wasn't a star-studded person.  She certainly had not lived a pure life.  She had not been holy.  But God had chosen to spare her.  Her work on this earth was not done.

She thought of dear friends who were struggling with cancer.  Dave - a man of incredible faith, Helen - now in hospice, Linda - fighting terminal cancer but shining with the light of Jesus.  It almost made her feel guilty that she was surviving!

But God had a plan and she trusted His wisdom.

And now she felt abundant joy because she had learned so much during the active cancer.  She sometimes had the feeling that she had stepped over the threshold into the spiritual world.  She saw things through spiritual eyes.  Just the other day while with friends, she felt distanced from their shallow chatter.  Why are they even wasting their time on petty, self-centered distractions, she wondered.

Then today while waiting for her appointment with Dr. Amy, she took note of the other oncology patients.  The Lord whispered to her to pray for each one as they passed by her.  To pray for their finding love and peace with Jesus, that they not fear death, that they not have pain, that they believe in Christ, surrender to Him and thus have the assurance of Heaven.

Her cancer had opened up a whole new world and she wanted to share it with hurting, lonely people.  Yes, she felt joy but she also realized many people in this world do not have joy.  Could she reach out to them?  Would God give her the tools and sensitivity to accomplish that?  She somehow knew that the only way she could do what God wanted her to do was in complete, daily surrender to the Lord.

A friend asked her if these 3 years dealing with cancer had been worth it.  Most people remarked about her remarkable recovery with "Aren't you glad just to be alive!  Even though you have some physical challenges, you're alive!"  And, of course, she would respond positively.  But she realized it was more than 'being alive'.  She had grown.  She had taken a 'peek' into Paradise.  She had experienced the very presence of Jesus.  She knew Him intimately and she knew He loved her.  Yes, that made all the past 3 years worth it.

Some might say, "Oh, you poor thing.  You've lived through a horrible, struggling emotional time.  How much of your senior years you've lost.  How sad."

But she knew the secret of joy...real joy.  Not giddy, silly, joke telling laughter, but real deep seated long lasting joy.  What could be more joyous than abiding in the presence of the Lord?

There is an account of a group of people who were filled with "great joy" when their leader died and left them.  They loved their leader, they believed in their leader, they knew that he spoke truth.  So why was their response "great joy" when he left them?  The answer is found in Luke 24: 50-53.

"When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.  While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.  Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.  And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God." NIV

Through all my struggles, the only lasting joy I've ever known is Jesus.  Yes, great joy!



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