My Journey With Cancer, Part 32 By David Maddox
The trip down into the valley of normalcy was finally completed on Friday which was the first really “great” day. Brief set back on Sunday but looking forward – God willing – to another week of feeling “good” before we begin again next Monday – lots of ministry opportunities. The main battle during week two is emotional and mental. There is always at least one day where you wonder how this will end (not a subject I ever consider when in my “right” mind) and it is during that time that complete surrender and acceptance of God’s will comes to the forefront where it belongs. Once that is again settled – peace returns – and the battle is over until the next time. So a secret – in your daily time with the Lord ask for direction and encouragement from His Word. I have never had a time when that prayer was not answered – even this morning.
Last week was Thanksgiving week and for a cancer patient it has special meaning. First if you are stage four like me you are thankful simply to be here, but more important if you have been blessed as we have you are thankful for those who have chosen to take this journey with you and have prayed for you throughout this year. My cancer team constantly remarks on what they call my “great support system” – which means all of you praying for us. They know that because I tell them and they understand – both because they are Christians – and because they know there is no medical answer to my situation (it is in God’s hands). I even got a text on Sunday about a church in Kansas City praying for me – amazing. God is good.
Spiritually I have been burdened for our country which I believe is a shared burden from the Lord. We have so lost our spiritual anchors and have such a lack of understanding of how God blessed and provided to allow this country to come into existence – and how He has continued to bless and protect – until 9/11. Now we are faced with that of which Thomas Jefferson warned – “Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that His justice cannot sleep forever . . .” or as Ruth Graham (Billy Graham’s wife) said – “If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He’ll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!” We must consider why things are happening to us from a Biblical perspective. First have we sinned as a nation as God defines sin? If so are we willing to humble ourselves – confess sin as sin – and then turn from our wicked way so that God can heal the nation? Indeed if we are suffering a judgment of God we are fortunately at the warning stage. If we ignore it – then those judgments will only become more severe until we either repent or are destroyed like every other major world power in history before us.
A good starting point in the analysis is how far have we gone from the foundations on which this nation was established? An excellent document to explore is a Thanksgiving document – the first Thanksgiving proclamation given by our first President (also the President of the Constitutional convention) who issued it at the request of both Houses of Congress. Note carefully how they at the start of the union viewed God and a nation’s obligation to God. Then compare it to today and see if we are on the wrong tract. Washington’s proclamation open as follows:
“WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour . . .”
America no longer speaks of any “duty” to God – does not acknowledge His providence – does not feel any obligation or desire to obey God – is not grateful or even willing to acknowledge His benefits – and does not even feel the need to pray for (to humbly to implore) His protection or favor. And yet we wonder why God allows what we fear.
Consider the kind of blessing and protection we have walked away from. The Revolutionary War is a perfect example of the hand of God favoring America. One example – The American Army under Washington was trapped in New York with the British in front preparing to attack the following day (600 yards away) and blocked from escape by a river behind with British warships moving up the river to destroy them. There literally was no hope for the nine thousand American forces. They could not win a fight with the massive British force they faced or survive the assault from the British warships – and there was no way they could escape across a river in a single night – UNTIL God moved. There were three miracles God brought to pass to enable the American Army to survive. First God sent a wind that made it impossible for the British warships to move up the river. Then he made the night especially dark and caused the British not to hear the escape as boats carried soldiers and horses and cannon back and forth across the river. At sun rise there were still a thousand soldiers and Washington who had yet to make the crossing as the British prepared to attack so God sent a fog so thick you could not see anything that was in front of you. The fog remained until all the American forces cross the river. When the British moved for an attack the final troops were unloading on the far side of the river and the British guns could only wound four Americans. The events of 9/11 prove we are no longer walking under God’s protection.
The answer has not changed. God Himself laid it out for us in Scripture both what must happen and there even is an example of the prayer to pray. What must happen – “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:13-14). The prayer God answered is Daniel 9. Please pray with me that eyes are opened to what God calls sin and that His people (Believers) will do what He requires that our land may be healed and we can once again live under God’s protection and blessing. The alternative is beyond comprehension.
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.