Even More Tuna at the Beach

I don't always eat tuna at the beach. Some days I make rice. Other days I make ramen. On gray mornings it is often oatmeal. But tuna days are a treat. Good things seem to happen.

Today I ran into Salomon. That's his real, given name. He's a big man with a quick smile, an easy laugh and kind eyes. And like me he has suffered some injustice in his life.

He is wise, too, as his name suggests. He reminded me today of an error in my prayer life. Too often I pray for justice to be done, for a reversal of fortunes. My prayer sounds like that of Jabez, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!" (1 Chron 4:10) He reminds me that Jabez was considered honorable in God's eyes. Am I? I doubt it. I am saved solely by grace.

Salomon's suggestion is so simple; I should pray for mercy, not justice. Monday I learned that my cancer had progressed to stage 3, not good. But not bad either. It is what it is. I am completely at the mercy of others as to the treatment of this "light and momentary [trouble]." (2 Cor 4:17) But I am still in God's hands.

Salomon was there the day I learned I had cancer, and I don't think running into him today was any coincidence. He had the audacity to remind me that I had just been presented an opportunity to demonstrate my complete faith in God. His sentiment is that all of life's challenges are opportunities to rise above them.

I recently read a story about a farmer whose donkey had fallen into an abandoned well. As the donkey was old and he had no more use for it, he decided to fill in the well and bury the donkey. As he shoveled dirt into the well, however, the donkey would simply shake off the dirt and stand on top of it. Soon enough the donkey was atop a well filled with earth and walked out on its own. I don't know the outcome of my current health predicament but I know that I can shake off the troubles of today and again stand atop them. And I will.