God’s Tangible Gifts, December 10
By Karen Tripp
Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:19-20 NIV).
Cancer can bring a wonderful outpouring of tender care, concern, and comfort from those around us. This is truly a treasure, and yet in the midst of all this wonderful care, there is still a part of the cancer walk that has to be done alone. I don’t mean physically alone. But, if you are a cancer patient, caregiver or survivor, there is a part of battling cancer that is done in isolation. Here are thoughts that many people wrestle with alone:
· “That soreness is not going away. Could it be the cancer?”
· “What happens if my caregiver gets sick?”
· “I’m tired of being strong for others.”
Cancer isolation can surround you even when you are in a room full of people who love you. That’s the part of struggling with cancer that each person faces alone.
In the Christmas story, I see Joseph as a person facing a difficult struggle alone.
What was Joseph considering in our verses for today? He was engaged to a wonderful girl named Mary, who showed up pregnant—and Joseph was not the father. Under Jewish law, he could either have her stoned, divorce her, or marry her.
Even if Joseph had a confidant to talk with about this situation, the struggle was his alone. Joseph probably struggled with some hard questions: Who was the father? Why had Mary betrayed him? What will the rest of the town think of him? Why was he not worthy of Mary’s loyalty?
The only one to turn to with our deepest hurts, fears and thoughts is God. Joseph received a GIANT blessing from God to help lead him through this struggle. God sent an angel to fill him in on God’s plan for Jesus to be born of Mary, and to give him direction. Wouldn’t it be great if every time you felt isolated and alone God sent you an angel in a dream with directions of what to do?
You may not get an angel visit, but God has sent you something even BETTER!
Jesus told us who God has sent for you and what He can do:
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26 NIV).
The Greek word for advocate is paraklētos, which means comforter, helper. How wonderful is that?
It seems to me that the Holy Spirit is constantly looking for ways to remind me of all Jesus wants to give me. God has given us tangible gifts that can draw us closer Him. These are the powerful tools of Scripture, prayer, Bible study, fellowship, and worship. But have you noticed when the dark thoughts creep into your head, it’s hard to remember these mighty weapons? Battle the drain of cancer by seizing the power of these tangible gifts in your life. Remember always that the Holy Spirit is with you, shining the light of the Lord on you and chasing away the darkness.
Pray: Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Your Son, and thank You for sending the Comforter—the Holy Spirit. Loneliness can creep into my life, and so I ask You to give me a hunger for the mighty tools You have given me to shower myself in the things of God. Give me a hunger for prayer, Scripture, worship, Bible study and fellowship. Strike down the urge to pull myself away from the very things that will draw me closer to You. You are the light of the world, and You have placed Your light in me for such a time as this. In Your precious Son’s name I pray. Amen.
Your Turn: Hear the words of Lauren Daigle's song, “Light of the World,” and sing with gratefulness, "Glory, the light of the world is here." Let His light in you banish the darkness of your cancer isolation and draw you closer to Himself.
Karen Tripp, MS, LMFT, Cancer Caregiver
Karen is the Executive Director of Cancer Companions, the premiere national Christian cancer ministry (https://www.cancercompanion.org). Her roles have included authoring several Christian books including God is Bigger Than Your Cancer and working as a licensed marriage and family therapist. She is a daughter of a colon cancer survivor. Karen uses her experience to teach how to step into another person’s struggle to help build their faith while strengthening your own.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
To learn more about our ministry and the services we provide visit our website by clicking here.
