Recently the Lord gave me an opportunity to examine my life.

I was waiting at the office of my family doctor. Even though he has been my doctor for the past 15 years, I don’t think I have ever gone to see him for anything more than a cold or flu. But this time is different.

As I was staring at the pages of a magazine, I reviewed the events that led me to the office. The day went normal enough until I flushed the toilet. I noticed the toilet was red. Blood, I told myself. Fresh blood.

Since I never passed out blood like that before, I did not know how to make of it. Later on, I told my wife about it. She said not to worry. It happened to some people, she said. I did not think of it again.

Then a surgeon friend of mine called me from out of state. During the course of our conversation, I told her about what happened that morning. She asked a few specific questions, just like a doctor would. Then she told me to go for a checkup right away. “I’ll call you tomorrow to make sure that you have done it.” She sounded serious.

My friend wanted me to make sure that my doctor check for unusual growth in the rectum and the colons. She wanted to make sure that I did not have cancer in my rectum.

Cancer? Cancer in my rectum? That was what I was in the office for. To find the answer to that question.

I was a little worry. What would I do if my doctor were to find out that I had cancer? Two years? Five years? Ten years?

What would I do?

I reviewed my relationship with God. I was happy to have shifted my focus of ministry and am now concentrating on evangelism. I did not know of any conscious sin in my life. I was happy and my relationships with my wife and my sons were very good. I did give everything I had to the ministries at CCM. I decided I was ready to meet God if it should come to that.

Then I thought of what I could do for my wife and my sons. Well, I better document all the worldly possessions we had on paper and explain everything to her. Besides taking care of the world treasures, there weren’t really anything I could do.

At the office, I felt a very strong sense of the limitation of men. What could I do for my family? Not much really. I knew my sons would take good care of their mother who is a very able and independent woman herself. My sons would probably do alright when they have their families by the grace of God. I have nothing to worry about.

Life had been good, I thought. I was not able to do much for God. But I did not consciously know what more I could do.

Even though I was a little worry, I was able to feel at peace with God and at peace with men. Men, especially me, are really very finite. A man can accomplish something in life but not very much. Whatever he had accomplished or accumulated, he certainly cannot take it with him.

I am happy the result was negative. Further tests of the colons were also negative.

I guess I am alright for now. But the day will come when the test will be positive and the prognosis negative. Will I be ready then as I was ready a while back?

May we encourage each other with the words of the Apostle Paul, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (I Corinthians 15:58)