My wife (Jo) received a card from a dear friend a few days ago. The friend had hand written four scripture verses on the card and sent it along with a nice gift. Here they are:

“And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” Lk. 18:27.

“With God nothing shall be impossible” Lk. 1:37

“Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee” Jer. 32:17

“I know that thou canst do everything” Job 42:2

    You who know that Jo has terminal brain cancer can appreciate these four verses of scripture. I don't know if it is God's will to heal her; Jo and I have prayed to that end but, we always add, 'If it be your will'. And I trust we are honest and sincere with our Lord when we pray that way. We know our God is able to heal any disease if it be his will - with God all things are possible. Nothing is too hard for him.

    But there are more issues involved than whether God will heal her or not; how will Jo and I endure this trial if God is not pleased to heal her? Can we still live our daily lives to the glory of God if he doesn't? Can we continue to honor our Lord by trusting that he knows best? Can we continue to believe that he cares for us, and is concerned for us and has our best interest at heart?

    Will this trial that God has sent to us rob us of our peace, our joy, our rest we have in Christ our Savior? Will we begin to complain because the trial has gotten long and somewhat difficult? Will we begin to doubt and fear and lose heart? Will we, God forbid, get bitter toward the providence of God - forgetting he works all things after the counsel of his own will? Will we please God in this trial or grieve him?

    Oh, there are greater issues at stake than whether or not it's God's will to physically heal. And it's these other issues that make those four scriptures even more important and encouraging.

    If things get more trying; If things go from bad to worse etc., is it possible we can still give God all glory and praise? Is it possible we can still be content? Still be faithful to our Lord and his church? Can we truly say with the apostle Paul, "His grace is sufficient for us"? We can say it with a resounding YES, with God nothing shall be impossible. There is nothing too hard for God. We know that God can do everything.

    With Jo and I these things are impossible, but the things that are impossible with us are possible with God. And for that we praise him.