1. Life as a Leaf

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The title "A Leaf on the Tree" for this cancer-update blog comes from Revelation 22 in the Bible. It comes from a beautiful description of the tree of life, a tree that receives its water from the very throne of God. The tree "bears fruit" regularly and "the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." 

Leaves are a critical part of the health of our planet. Leaves provide oxygen. They eliminate impurity and give people the ability to breathe pure air. Inhale. Exhale. Breathe.

 I believe that Jesus intended this metaphor to describe the healing purpose of His followers. We have a limited amount of life - a limited cycle on the tree as we are born, live our lives for His purpose, and then die in a blaze of color having completed our purpose. Psalm 139 reminds  that "all the days ordained for me were written in His book before one of them came to be." So while alive, my purpose is to drink deeply of the water of life and allow the health it brings me to bring spiritual "healing" to others. To deliver oxygen.

I have been diagnosed with Stage 4 Prostate Cancer. It would be pretty cool if I could be physically healed from this, but it is not very likely. Stage 4 Prostate Cancer cannot be eliminated, only interrupted or slowed. Besides, all physical healing is only temporary since we will all die of our last disease, right? Spiritual health is infinitely valuable, being eternal, so while I might prefer to be physically healed, I willingly follow if He chooses to lead me to holiness through the cancer rather than around it.

And I hope to encourage you along the way. God is good. His wisdom far exceeds my ability to understand. Nothing is more important to me than growing in faith "to be holy as He is holy." That usually requires some pain and suffering, and many have gone on before me to show the way. And many of you have it far worse. Life is short. Eternity is forever.

So I want to drink deeply of the water of life through every treatment, the months of chemo, bouts of pain, and through the discomfort of headaches, hot flashes, and fatigue. I want to be like that leaf in Revelation 22, drawing health from the pure water of life, and become a source of healing oxygen to others.

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