Have you ever met someone you wish you were more like? No, I’m not talking about a young boy who wishes to be a great baseball player like Mike Trout, of the Los Angeles Angels, or a girl who swoons over the latest male movie star or boy band. Nor am I talking about a middle aged person who covets the wealth and possessions of a Fortune 500 Chief Executive Officer.
Your thoughts don’t turn to wealth but to your health? Oh, I can relate to that. For the past three plus months, I have been bothered by a sore hip. I have seen my primary care physician twice, a chiropractor about eight times and am in the middle of my treatment by a physical therapist. Oh, woe is me! In the larger scheme of things, what difference does the above make?
Recently, I met a man who doesn’t depict any of the above. I have observed in him that because he is a sinner, he is separated from God. HOWEVER, the GOOD NEWS is that because God sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for his sins, he knows that his FAITH in Jesus Christ’s shed blood covered his sins. He doesn’t have to do anything else as far as doing good, giving money to church or attending church to get “year pins” for perfect attendance to assure that he is going to heaven.
This man, we’ll call him “Paul,” gave me permission to share with you his letter below, which he sends out periodically to his friends, but he prefers me not to use his name.
“Dear Friends,The purpose of this message is twofold. First, is to thank you for all your prayers, visits, cards, e-mails and phone calls over the past year. You have been a great encouragement to us. The second is to give you a medical update.
It has been about one year since I was diagnosed with two different types of bone marrow cancer, both incurable. Since that time, I went through aggressive chemo treatment that concluded in November 2015. Tests showed that the chemo did a good job on the cancer, but was also very hard on my body, to the point that my bone marrow stopped producing a sufficient number of red blood cells.
In spite of weekly shots to encourage my body to produce more red cells, my condition gradually deteriorated to the point that, in December, I had to start receiving blood transfusions. As the weeks went by, the need for transfusions became more frequent.
In February, I had my third consultation with a specialist from the University of Pennsylvania. Seeing the downward trend in my weekly reading of red cells and the need for more frequent transfusions, he recommended additional medications. These additional meds were to encourage my body to produce more of all three of the main components of blood, namely red cells, white cells and platelets.
Unfortunately, to date, these additional meds have not had the positive effect that was anticipated. In fact, the ability of my body to make the three blood components has decreased even more rapidly. As one of my doctors noted in the last few days, it appears that my bone marrow has virtually ceased functioning and I have become what is referred to as ‘transfusion dependent.’ In other words, the frequent transfusions I am receiving are the only things allowing me to continue to function.
To someone who believes that there is no life beyond this world, this news could be devastating. For me, however, even though I am not looking forward to leaving my wife, family and friends, I am looking forward to spending eternity in heaven with Christ where there will be no more pain, sorrow or tears.
I believe that our hope is not in the strength of our minds or bodies, the wisdom of doctors, the effectiveness of medication or in a miracle cure in response to prayer. Ultimately, our hope is not in this life, which will someday, sooner or later, come to an end. We have set our hope on God who raises the dead. Our hope rests in believing that all of the promises of God – every one of them from Genesis to Revelation – have been, are being and will be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Thank you again for being so supportive of us during this time in our lives.
Blessings,Paul”What do I see in Paul? Why has he deeply affected me? As I contemplated, I thought of Romans 12: 11-12, which says: “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
As I wrote the above, I realized there are two reasons I am affected by Paul. One, he is obeying the instructions given by the apostle Paul in the Biblical Book of Romans, which was given by God to Paul to write. Two, I told Paul, in a moment of selfishness, that he needed to stick around for a long time to continue to inspire me as well as many others.
Jeff Hall, of Honey Brook, contributes columns to Berks-Mont Newspapers. Questions/comments may be directed to jeffreyhall77@comcast.net.
