This is the month when we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, and
today for Marlene and me is a special day for giving thanks. We met with Dr.
Batts, our oncologist, this morning for the results of my CT scan, which
followed my final regimen of chemotherapy. His words included phrases like: “the
scan showed nothing suspicious,” “there is no evidence of cancer,” and “the cancer
is in remission.” We thank God for this good news and thank you for your prayers
and other expressions of support.
The next steps are to get lab work done in three month
intervals and have a CT scan in six months.
We share the following devotional from Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)
as an expression of our thanksgiving.
Praise should always follow answered prayer; as
the mist of earth's gratitude rises when the sun of heaven's love warms the
ground. Hath the Lord been gracious to thee, and inclined his ear to the voice
of thy supplication? Then praise him as long as thou livest. Let the ripe fruit
drop upon the fertile soil from which it drew its life. Deny not a song to him
who hath answered thy prayer and given thee the desire of thy heart. To be
silent over God's mercies is to incur the guilt of ingratitude; it is to act as
basely as the nine lepers, who after they had been cured of their leprosy,
returned not to give thanks unto the healing Lord. To forget to praise God is
to refuse to benefit ourselves; for praise, like prayer, is one great means of
promoting the growth of the spiritual life. It helps to remove our burdens, to
excite our hope, to increase our faith.
It is a healthful and invigorating exercise which
quickens the pulse of the believer, and nerves him for fresh enterprises in his
Master's service. To bless God for mercies received is also the way to benefit
our fellow-men; "the humble shall hear thereof and be glad." Others
who have been in like circumstances shall take comfort if we can say, "Oh,
magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together; this poor man
cried, and the Lord heard him." Weak hearts will be strengthened, and
drooping saints will be revived as they listen to our "songs of
deliverance." Their doubts and fears will be rebuked, as we teach and
admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. They too shall
"sing in the ways of the Lord" when they hear us magnify his holy
name. Praise is the most heavenly of Christian duties. The angels pray not, but
they cease not to praise both day and night; and the redeemed, clothed in white
robes, with palm-branches in their hands, are never weary of singing the new
song, "Worthy is the Lamb."
1) Psalm 34:2
2) Psalm 34:3, 6
3) Psalm 32:7
4) Psalm 138:5
5) Revelation 5:17
Such great news!
ReplyDeleteSo glad for the good report Burt.
ReplyDelete