Things To Come

Romans 8:38-39 are verses I memorized as a child, thanks to G.T. and the Halo Express (which I highly recommend for helping kids learn lots of Bible verses in a super fun way). These verses talk about all the things that cannot separate us from God's love. But I was touched by them anew when I read a fresh translation of them recently.

With the diagnosis of a terminal disease, it is tempting to start to play the "what if" game. What if the cancer spreads to my brain? What if I'm not able to work? What if none of the meds work for me? What if I feel sick all the time? My future feels uncertain in a whole new way. So this old message in fresh words spoke deeply to the fears that lurk in the back of my mind: "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Nothing is able to separate me from the love of God.  Not even the "things to come."  Whatever they may be, whatever "what ifs" come true for me, they cannot put me beyond the reach of God's love or His protection.  Not even death.  Take that, Cancer.

I saw this print online somewhere.  Maybe someone posted it on Facebook; I don't remember.  But it has these same verses interwoven with words about what cancer cannot do.  I'll write out the words below, since the picture is hard to read:

"Cancer is so limited.  It cannot cripple love.  It cannot alter hope.  I cannot corrode faith.  It cannot destroy peace.  It cannot kill friendship.  It cannot suppress memories.  It cannot silence courage.  It cannot invade the soul.  It cannot steal eternal life.  It cannot conquer the Spirit."  (I'm not sure who wrote this, but it is available for sale here.)

A friend who brought us dinner the other night also left me the words to this hymn, which is actually one of my favorites, as recorded by Indelible Grace:

O Love that wilt not let me go, I rest my weary soul in thee; I give thee back the life I owe, That in thine ocean depths its flow May richer, fuller be.

O light that foll’west all my way, I yield my flick’ring torch to thee; My heart restores its borrowed ray, That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain, And feel the promise is not vain, That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head, I dare not ask to fly from thee; I lay in dust life’s glory dead, And from the ground there blossoms red Life that shall endless be.

Love, God's love, will not let me go - it will follow me all my way, seek me through pain, and lift up my head when I am dying. And even as my earthly life slips away, endless life will take its place - a richer, fuller, brighter, fairer, tearless, endless life. These are "things to come" that aren't what ifs.