A poem by Pastor David Platt's son

I found this poem written by a boy who was adopted from Kazakhstan remarkably insightful.

Momentary

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

I had the unenviable task for any doctor, let alone any man. I went to my patient’s home to see her, and talk to her husband about the inevitability of death. 

Nikki is 32 and a mother of four beautiful boys. She has cancer of unknown primary, possibly from breast, but metastatic to the liver. She’s barely living. Her skin is jaundiced, she’s half the size she was before diagnosis which was less than four months ago, and severely cachectic. Cancer is literally eating her away in front of our eyes. I sat with her and discussed her symptoms and ways to manage them. I held her hands. I talked to her little children who have shaved off their hair in support of their mom. I shook hands with her parents who don’t speak English. There was tension all around. I simply didn’t have the courage to tell her that her days are now numbered. But I had to prepare her husband for the inevitable. 

Later, I asked him to follow me to my car. John and I sat in my car and started talking about Nikki and her cancer and my thoughts about her disease and prognosis. 

John was just quiet. He had no words. No tears. Nothing. I asked him how he’s handling all of this. Here’s his reply in his words. 

“Our promise is not in health, wealth, or prosperity but in the eternity that the lord has prepared for us. I know there’s nothing that can take us away from that. Paul was beaten, arrested, in a shipwreck and marooned. Yet he called it, “light momentary affliction”. When people stop in church and tell me, “God is good”, I just reply, “what made you think he isn’t”. Nothing that has happened has changed our relationship with him. We trust him.”

Is there a man of greater faith and love for God in this World? 

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Postscript:

John's sister-in-law later emailed me this: 

"John’s response is truly a God given act of tangible love and faith. His life has been a tough one. He lost his oldest sister to suicide and last week his boss told him he may sell the business, and John may lose his current job.

And yet, like Job, John stands by our sweet Lord."

When Two becomes One

"Our small group is serving in kitchen today. Can I help out?"
"Yes"

I was at a Chinese church few weeks ago. As is usual for my curious nature, I pried on what the American man sitting next to me was typing on his cell phone and subsequently handed it over to the woman sitting next to him with an infant in her lap. I also sneaked in to see the reply too. A husband and wife serving in a Chinese church for their love of Christ.

Later, I saw a young Indian man from Hyderabad and his wife who were also an active part of the church. They shared their unique ministry. Every Saturday night, they host an Indian dinner for students studying in the nearby universities and serve them Indian food. They host a game night which is well attended by around 20-30 students. Every week, the lady cooks food for this large crowd, despite having to take care of her children. The man faithfully serves as her able support in this task.


We often hear the phrase, "when two becomes one". In fact, there is a song with these lyrics - but the meaning is all about love making. I think the real love making is not what happens in the comforts of a cozy bed, instead it is in the sacrificial giving of your time and energy for others - That's when two really becomes one.

A marriage is made in heaven when the man and his wife thinks with one vision, in unity and harmony. Watching a couple who works as one body and mind is like listening to the perfectly harmonized melody. If you are a young man or woman waiting for your match, seek for one who can truly become You.