NHS – Look, See, Pray

“I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.” – Psalm 13v6

There’s an important distinction between declaring that “God is good” and “God has been good to me.” The first is a general truth and the second is a personal testimony. General truths can seem hard to take in the light of suffering or loss: the “goodness” is difficult to understand in those precise circumstances. There can be times where faith stands up under the strain and says “God is good” (through gritted teeth?)… see below for words from a country man and prophet named Habakkuk…

Tonight I give thanks and praise to God because He has been good TO ME in a specific way. A follow-up test has shown my cancer surgery was completely successful back in 2019. I believe God loves me and looks over me- and in a good partnership with the NHS, I have been blessed with a longer life. Honestly, it was harder to say “God is good” on the day the surgeon said “We need to operate on Thursday…” The general truth about God’s goodness was not something I doubted- but it didn’t “feel” good. God gave me a surprising peace, a wonderful wife, some amazing friends, and a brilliant surgical team… and now, three + years later, the general truth has become a specific one. I am simply grateful- and saying my most sincere thanks.

Today I also have various friends facing surgery, struggling with serious health concerns, living in difficult even tragic circumstances. God is good: my prayer must be that “God will be good to them” in the most appropriate manner, bringing healing and wholeness through medical skill and/or Holy Spirit power and grace. (There is no need to believe it must be God-OR-medicine. It can be BOTH/AND.)

I truly hope that my faith- and theirs- may reach the depth of that man Habakkuk… To be able to say and mean this:

“Even if the fig tree does not bloom
and the vines have no grapes,
even if the olive tree fails to produce
and the fields yield no food,
even if the sheep pen is empty
and the stalls have no cattle—
even then,
I will be happy with the Lord.
I will truly find joy in God, who saves me.
The Lord Almighty is my strength.
He makes my feet like those of a deer.
He makes me walk on the mountains.”
– Habakkuk 3v17-19

I’m attaching this post to a photo I took this week of my favourite type of crocus. Purple-and-white stripes with a glowing orange centrepiece. I do believe the God who created these IS good and generously kind.

Simply thankful: Peace and grace to you, with joy and hope through faith!

Today was a GOOD NEWS day- for me. I want to shout out “God is good!” which is, of course, true… but I must restrict myself a bit and say only that God has been good to me at this moment in time. This is not to be boastful or claim any special “holy” status, but because God is in His essential nature faithful and loving: and He gives grace not because “we deserve it” but because He CHOOSES to love the unfaithful.

I was diagnosed with bowel cancer this autumn. It was serious enough to require urgent major surgery, and our wonderful N.H.S. acted swiftly and effectively. Getting over the surgery has been painful and seems slow. But today I visited the oncologist about follow up treatment (chemotherapy). My expectation was six months of chemo.

Chemotherapy not required… the doctors think I am 85% likely to be clear of cancer; annual scans will look out for any possible regrowth. You can imagine the relief… the sense of getting your life back, the lifting of the gloomy shadow of fear and doubt.

Many people have prayed for me (I am truly grateful) and practical support and love has been showered on my life. I have felt a sense of God’s presence; and known other dark moments where faith felt like a mouse squeaking in the cellar waiting for the cat to pounce.

This evening I have sent the good news round to friends and family. I looked in the book of Psalms hoping to find a good “praise verse”… and I found this.

Psalm 91:14-16 (NLT)
The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honour them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

God is faithful. I do love Him, I trust Him, and I need Him. It’s just that I’m not as faithful in my faith as He is. Do I have any right to say God has blessed me? No, if I am trading with God… “Hey, God, if you scratch my back… and I’ll try to be nice and be good…”

It doesn’t work like that.

I know my own weaknesses, and the things that trip me up. I wish I was 100% perfect but I’m not (yet).

Father God has reminded me this evening that He IS faithful, the One of eternal loving-kindness. He has also reminded me that GRACE is what is given when my faithfulness falls flat on its face. A namesake of mine, St Richard, was Bishop of Chichester from 1244 to 1253 and gave us a prayer that I treasure. It’s my faith-response to the gap between God’s faithfulness and my own.

Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given us, for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us. Most merciful Redeemer, Friend and Brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen.

God has been good to me- and I really want to love Him better, and be more like Jesus. I’m depending on His faithfulness- AND still on His grace. Left to myself, I can, do, and will fail. The reason God has “been good to me” today is that HE won’t take my weakness and failures as the last word. I’m proud of having a Father like that. My hope is that more and more of us will come to know and understand and experience that Fatherly Love.