Christmas Devotional 16: God has Gone Before You

Matthew 2:13-15; Isaiah 45:2a

Cancer treatment typically begins with a plan. Following the recommendations from tons of cancer research, your oncologist decides which procedures, surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and so on that he feels you’ll need. He tells you when you will start treatment, when you’ll finish and how frequently you’ll receive a treatment. Looks like a solid plan, but you know how plans are – they change.

Cancer treatment often brings the unexpected. Treatment every two weeks can turn into every three weeks, so being finished before Christmas has turned into having more treatments in the new year. That’s unexpected. Maybe you’re one of the statistics involving side effects like nausea, pain, or swelling. That’s unexpected. Or perhaps instead of losing weight, you’re gaining. That’s definitely unexpected.

And then there’s the people who sailed through cancer treatment without a single bump. One more story about “things went so well I didn’t need radiation,” or, “I handled the treatments so well I didn’t miss a single day of work”- and you might scream.

Cancer treatment would be so much easier to endure if they could just make a plan and stick to it. Is that asking too much? Every change brings a new battle, 60 with the dread that sneaky ole’ cancer is trying to get a foothold in your life. It seems that with cancer, it’s just one thing after another. Many cancer patients and their loved ones are tempted to wonder, “What’s next?” When I look at the first Christmas, I have to admit that of everyone involved, my heart really goes out to Joseph. Here was a man whose plan seemed to be consistently changed by powers bigger than him.

Plan #1: Marry sweet Mary and live happily ever after in Nazareth.

Then God shared the new plan with Joseph.

Plan #2: Take Mary as your wife (who happens to be an unwed mother) and raise the Son of God as your own son. (That’s unexpected.)

The Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus changed the plan.

Plan #3: Take your very pregnant wife to Bethlehem for the census. (That’s unexpected.)

This might have been the point where Joseph was asking, “What’s next?” Sure enough, God changed the plan again. 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 here he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Matthew 2:13-15

Use the verses above to answer these questions:

Where did the angel tell Joseph to go? Vs 13 _________________________ _________________________________________________________________

When was Joseph and his family to leave? Vs 15 _______________________ _________________________________________________________________

What did the angel say Herod wanted to do to Jesus? _________________ _________________________________________________________________

Do you think this was unexpected for Joseph? Why? (no right answer)

Cancer treatments can at times get a certain rhythm to them.

• “OK, the first three chemo treatments I was able to only miss a half day of work.”

• “I haven’t really had any of the fatigue people talk about.”

• “First week of radiation on my throat and I can eat just fine.”

• “My counts are good, so we’re right on schedule for my treatments.”

If this rhythm changes, it can be hard to ignore the accompanying disappointment and frustration. Each change in the plan can drive our thoughts back to the yucky uncertainty of, “What’s next?” The real question might be, “How much more do I have to endure?”

When things are not going the way we expected, it’s hard to remember that this is not true for God. God has expected each thing that is happening on your cancer walk, AND he’s ready for “What’s Next.”

Check out this verse:

“I will go before you and make the rough places smooth…” Isaiah 45:2a

God is not sitting back thinking, “Oh, here comes that rough place. I hope that works out for them.” No. God is not a spectator of your life. He is actively involved with you.

From the verse above, what are the two things God is doing?

1.__________________________________________

2. _________________________________________

God is great at showing up, especially at the rough places.

Cancer has plenty of rough places, so what a relief to know that God has not just gone before you; he has gone before you to smooth out the rough places. I love the raw honesty of this. Clinging to Christ may not eliminate the struggles, but there are no rough places that he has not already gone ahead of you to smooth out. God not only knows “What’s Next”, He has gone before you so that He is there waiting for you when “What’s Next” occurs. So, the next time you are pondering that yucky question of “What’s Next?” in your cancer journey, use this verse as God’s answer:

What’s Next? I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. AMEN.

Sweet Heavenly Father, Thank You for going before us. Thank You for making the rough places smooth. Teach me to cope with the unknowns of cancer by resting more in what I can depend on- YOU. You are my rock and my fortress, and in You I place my health, my loved ones and my life. AMEN