Day seventy nine

I was reading Jeremy Taylor's "Rules for Holy Living" again last night, and he included this verse: Then Eli said, ‘He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.’ (1 Samuel 3: 18) This is Samuel reporting to Eli what God said to him when He called him in the night. Samuel had to tell Eli that his sons would be judged because of their sins. Eli's response is the only right response: ‘He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.’

Life would be so much easier if we could live like that. It would take away all the stress, anxiety and worry. But I find very few people who live as though He is the Lord.’

Instead, there seems to be an unconscious belief that life is random and things happen because they happen. At the same time I disagree with the opposite Calvinistic view that says everything that happens happens because it is God's plan.

But somewhere in between is the biblical approach. In Eli's day Israel was fighting against the Philistines. This was still part of the conquest of the Promised Land. God intended Israel to live in the Promised Land, but He didn't plan every battle and every arrow that was shot. He allowed free-will. That free-will allowed Eli's sons to sin, but it didn't allow them to escape the consequences of their sins.

And so we are free to live as we please, but we are not free to escape the consequences of our sins, or even our bad choices.

So as I am still waiting for results and still waiting for my next test, I can say, with confidence: ‘He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.’

I didn't have any pain yesterday (apart from 4am), which is good. But this morning it was back.

I now know all the places where I don't have cancer. Not many of you reading this can say that. I know that my heart is in good condition. Again, can you say that about your heart?

As much as I may complain about the length of time I have to put up with the pain until a solution is found, compared to others I'm not doing too bad. I first went to see a GP in April and look how many GP appointments I have had since (some better than others); how many tests at the hospital I have had, and scans. In the last 10 months I have had just about every organ in my body examined.

I have always said that we may complain about the NHS, but it is better than the alternative.

We have come to expect our "Nanny State" to be our nanny, and that has led to a decline in the understanding that we still have a God who is concerned about every hair on our head, every day that we are alive, and every choice that we make every day.

So, whatever you may be facing today, remember Eli's words: ‘He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.’