Haematology Clinic yesterday and things are continuing to go in the right direction which is good news. The treatment is leaving me extremely tired and there are a few other side effects but it is working. So we hang on with confidence in the medics and faith in God’s good and loving purpose.
My abiding impression of the Clinic is just how busy it was. For the first time it was difficult to find a seat. And again you realise the challenge for the Beatson staff faced with these large numbers of people and seeking to provide a service for each individual. All the more so when you remember that no two people are the same in going through the cancer experience. So any indication that you are valued as an individual is an encouragement in itself.
It is one of the great wonders of the Christian life that we are known completely by our God. We are not just drops in an ocean of humanity but known as unique individuals. Jesus’ teaching in John 10 underlines that for us. He speaks of Himself as the Good Shepherd who ‘calls his own sheep by name.’ To know someone’s name in Jesus’ culture was more than just a memory exercise. It showed that you had some deeper knowledge of that person, his character, her priorities. So Jesus knows us at a deep level. His gaze falls upon us and he knows us completely.
That is reassuring but read on and discover that he ’goes on ahead’ of His sheep calling them to follow. He is not merely a comfort blanket but a dynamic presence taking His people forward in the life of discipleship. Paul found the truth of this in all circumstances, free or imprisoned, healthy or sick, held back or forging ahead. The Good Shepherd went before him providing opportunities to serve.
