Last week was what I call down the mountain into the valley of “reasonable normality” as you go from the ultimate effects of the last round of chemo to the state of being almost normal. You always carry an awareness of the intruder within and some other effects which for me include a gentle stomach, some level of fatigue, and a little numbness in fingers and feet – BUT otherwise life is good as long as you keep your mind on the Lord and not on the cancer. One high light of the week was getting to go see the movie “War Room”. That is a must see which can change your life and help you have the right focus. Please go and encourage others to go. It is not on at every theater so you may have to search, but it is a search well worth making. You will be blessed.
This coming week is the “good week” – two weeks away from the chemo. Looking forward to what the Lord will allow this week and what He has planned that I cannot even imagine. Thursday we are to have a CAT scan to be compared with the April scan as part of the evaluation the cancer doctor will give us September 30th on the effectiveness of the current regiment and where do we go from here. Friday a blood draw to be sure my blood chemistry is such that I can tolerate another round of chemo scheduled to begin on Monday. Not too exciting which is always good news until God heals.
I have not written enough about the miracle of a Godly wife – how Janet is such a blessing and encouragement and the one who sometimes gives me the swift kick in the pants that I need when I begin to lose my focus. As a couple that entered into a marriage covenant with the Lord almost 39 years ago we know we are “one flesh” which means she has cancer too and she suffers as I endure chemo, the infection I had etc. We also know that God – the third party to our marriage – is mightily at work in both of us as we walk through this “valley of the shadow of death” – and that all of the 23rd Psalm is true (God has clearly proven that to us). To be on this journey without Janet would really be almost impossible for me for she is such a blessing and carries this equally. God has us praying more together than ever – and not simply about the cancer – but much more about others and things that He places on our heart (again a single heart together). We have turned our front room we didn’t use much into a place of Bible study, meditation and prayer – a real blessing.
Spiritually last week God reminded me of John exiled to the “island of Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” as God opened His eyes to see Jesus as He is and to have visions of what will be in the future leading up to the second coming and beyond to the end of this age, final judgment, and the new heaven and new earth. After his initial vision of the resurrected Jesus – in Revelation 4 John was shown a door standing open in heaven “and behold a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne.” It was as if God was saying to me – “I am the King of the Universe. All power and authority rests in Me. I love you. Trust Me.” He showed me the rainbow which surrounds the throne and seem to be saying, “I remember and keep my promises”. He took me to the passage in Revelation 5 where the twenty-four elders bow down before Jesus holding “golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” and the message was, “I have heard and will hear again the prayers raised for you.”
Then He took me to the familiar story of Peter walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-32) and said, “David. Stop looking at the waves. Trust Me” – and He asked to consider what He would have done had Peter not been frightened by the waves and kept His eyes on Him and walked to Him. How would that have affected the other disciples still in the boat? How would that experience have changed Peter so that he could have been used much earlier and more completely? How might eternity have been changed if Peter had not lost his focus? Obviously Jesus did not let Peter drown when he began to sink, but what was planned by God that Peter missed when he lost his focus? I don’t want to miss anything that God has planned for me. The lesson of last week was clear – trust the one who loves you – He is able – He knows and remembers and hears – and in those moments of doubt remember the throne in heaven and keep your proper focus.
As one God has been given a passion for discipleship I know that what He shows me is for you as well. Please consider last week’s lessons for me carefully as they are for you as well. Love you – thanks for your continued prayers.
About David Maddox – After a legal career in both Texas and Arizona that spanned over 40 years as a civil litigator, God called David to leave his law practice and work full time as Discipleship Director for Time to Revive. That call is really the fruit of decades of prayer for revival and teaching God’s Word, writing discipleship materials and seeking to make disciples. David married Janet Whitehead in 1976 and they minister together from their Phoenix home. God has blessed them with four children and thus far seven grandchildren.