You Haven’t Seen Nothing Yet, February 1
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by Thomas Sherrod
“I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor” (2 Samuel 6: 22 NIV).
I love this account of David dancing before the Lord! The ark of the Lord has returned to Jerusalem. It is time to celebrate what God has done. But some believe David goes too far in his expression of thanksgiving. Some are shocked and ashamed of his leaping, twirling, and dancing, wearing only a linen garment. Michal, his wife, tries to shame him for his unabashed expression of praise. In so many words, she says, “I hope you are proud of yourself acting like a common fool in front of slave girls!” David’s reply is priceless. He retorts, “I will become even more undignified than this” (2 Samuel 6:22a). In effect, David says, “If you think my dancing was shameful, you haven’t seen nothing yet! I will continue to enthusiastically praise God for what He has done!”
I helped facilitate a cancer support group for twenty years. The group was a tremendous source of joy. But sometimes outsiders found it strange to hear laughter coming from a supposedly somber group. They assumed cancer patients would be downcast and sad. They assumed cancer would rob its patients of their sense of humor. They were unaware that cancer often brought a heightened sense of the amazing gift of life. Almost every month, members of the group would say, “I would not wish this on my worst enemy, but this experience has deepened my walk with God and helped heal some of my relationships.”
You may feel dismissed and written off by family, friends and loved ones. People may unconsciously distance themselves from you. They seek to protect themselves from the fearful reality that cancer does not discriminate. You know cancer does not extinguish your soul. Cancer is not who you are. You are a person who happens to have cancer. You still laugh, maybe even deeper and louder than before. You may have acquired an empathy which allows you to be a blessing to a wider range of people.
May we say to cancer what David said to those trying to shame him: “I will continue celebrating the gift of life and the goodness of God, maybe even more than before!”
Pray: Lord, help me to freely celebrate Your blessings amidst the struggles. May You open my eyes to see You at work within me and around me. May You give me ears to hear Your voice of encouragement and love throughout each day. Amen.
Your Turn: Ask the Lord to identify the voices that seek to squelch your ability to praise Him. Then, ask God to give you the freedom and courage to joyously return thanksgiving for what He has done, is doing, and promises to do.
Thomas W. Sherrod, Cancer Survivor
Tom is a retired hospital chaplain who works part-time for Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health System in North Carolina. He organized and facilitated a cancer support group for twenty years as part of his hospital ministry. He is married for forty-four years and enjoys his three daughters, two sons-in-law, and five grandchildren. He is a recent survivor of prostate cancer and is immensely thankful for all of God's grace and provisions through it all.
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