God Is With You, May 23
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by David Gira
“When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it’” (Genesis 28:16 NIV).
Cancer takes you to many places you really don’t want to go: doctors’ offices, MRI and CT machines, pharmacies, and operating rooms. It can lead you to places of deep sorrow, anxiety, and fear, hard, barren, lonely places, and even the valley of the shadow of death. In all these places, God is present.
Jacob is a famous and important person found in the Bible’s Old Testament. Early in his life, as a young man, he set out on a life-or-death journey. His older brother, whom he had recently betrayed, wanted to kill him. Jacob’s parents, seeking to protect him, sent him off to a faraway place where he could find a wife and start his new life.
On the first night of his journey, exhausted, alone, and afraid, he lay down to sleep, with a stone as his pillow. In a dream, he saw angels ascending and descending a ladder from earth to heaven. He heard the Lord promise to be with him, protect him, and bless him with countless descendants and endless land.
When Jacob woke up, amazed, he said aloud, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it” (Genesis 28:16).
On your cancer journey, in some of the places you go, you may feel like Jacob—alone and afraid, with a rock for a pillow. Yet God is with you, watching over you and protecting you. God still has “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).
The Bible assures us that God is always present with us. Though we travel to the ends of the earth, God is still with us. At the highest high or the deepest low, sinful or righteous, healthy or sick, God is with us. Even in your cancer journey, God has promised to be with you always: “You can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end” (Matthew 28:20 NIRV).
In the game of Peekaboo, children believe a parent is not present because he or she cannot be seen. But Mom or Dad is only inches away. Like Jacob, you may not be aware, but God is there.
In many churches, Christians sing the words to this song by Lanny Wolfe and experience God’s presence. Try reciting or singing them, whether God feels near or far:
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.
I can feel His mighty power and His grace.
I can hear the brush of angel’s wings.
I see glory on each face.
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.1
Pray: Lord, help me believe and know with all my heart that You are with me no matter where I am or what’s happening to me; You are blessing and protecting me. Amen.
Your Turn: The hymn “Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place” is a wonderful reminder. For the whole story of Jacob’s encounter with God, read Genesis 28:10-22.
1. ShareFaith, 2021. https://www.sharefaith.com/guide/Christian-Music/Hymns/Presence-of-the-lord.html.
Michael David Gira, Jr., Cancer Survivor
David was an ordained United Methodist Pastor and graduate of Duke Divinity School. He and his wife, Amy, lived in Raleigh, North Carolina with their three children. In 2017 he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. In his book, How Cancer Cured Me, he shares many ways he experienced God’s healing. After a 7 year battle with cancer, David is now joyously singing praises in God’s glorious throne room. His legacy lives on through his writing for Cancer Companions, as he continues to proclaim Christ’s hope and healing power to others experiencing cancer. https://www.davidgira.com/how-cancer-cured-me
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
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