Leaning on the Promises of God
by Elvin McLin
"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand." (Isaiah 41:10)
For some, the awareness of cancer may come via the announcement of our primary care doctor. Others notice their body begins to fail them in some capacity, forcing them to seek an answer from a noted authority. At some point, your deepest fears are realized. It's cancer.
After you hear the word "cancer," uncontrolled emotions can flood your body like water from your shower head cascading down. Maybe the words of the attending physician sounded like the teacher speaking in a scene from Charlie Brown, "Wah wah wah!" Hands tremble. Tears may stream down your eyes! You try to gather yourself.
It is during these most difficult times that God wants you to know He is with you. He loves you, and He doesn’t want you to feel alone. What can you do? Listen to His voice. Store up His promises in your heart. He uses His Word to remind you of His powerful presence with you, when you need Him the most.
How I clung to that voice through my cancer journey. When I was the weakest was when a verse, a song, or a thought from the Lord would penetrate the weakness of my mind. In some unfathomable way, I felt restored.
We hear so many other voices and messages. How we need to hear His voice in the midst of them. What if my doctor just told me that he is not sure what to try next? “Do not fear. I am with you!” Chemotherapy? Radiation? “Do not be dismayed, for I AM YOUR GOD!” The oncologist says my numbers show I only have a short time to live! “I will strengthen you.” My knees tremble with fear. “I will uphold you with my righteous hand.”
Years ago, there was a commercial touting the confidence of an investment firm called E. F. Hutton. The phrase went something like this: “When E. F. Hutton speaks, people listen!” As a child of God, how much more powerful is the voice of your creator and redeemer, the One who conquered death for you on the cross. When the Lord speaks, listen! He is with you, and He will uphold you with His righteous right hand.
Pray: Lord, teach me to listen to Your voice, no matter what else I am hearing in my world. Help me to trust and obey Your words. Your words speak life, peace, and strength. Amen.
Your Turn: Ask God to help you choose a Bible promise to call your own right now. Write it down where you will see it when you need it. Try memorizing it over the next week.
Elvin McLin is the husband of Dominique. They live in Ellisville, Missouri where they share five beautiful adult children and five beautiful grandchildren. Elvin is an entrepreneur who began his journey with cancer in 2019 with stage three and stage four kidney cancer. As he was healing from the first encounter with cancer another battle with cancer reared itself in the form of prostate cancer. Elvin has been welcomed by Cancer Companions to become a Board of Directors member.