Hope in testing times

(First published as a column for Trinity Uniting Church Wellington Point's weekly pew sheet "The Messenger" 16th August 2015)

This weekend my family and I have headed “home”. Back to the town I grew up in and the place where Sonya and I first set up home. The reason being that I am once again offering my gifts to serve the Bundaberg Relay for Life - a local community event run by the Cancer Council – as the event MC for the 12^th year in a row.

Relay is primarily a unique fundraising event for the work of the Cancer Council, but it is also a community building event. Taking part is more than just showing up, you are actually part of a community within a community. The 18 hour event is designed to take participants on the journey of a cancer patient through highs and lows and that Cancer treatment and research is not a quick process. It takes time, commitment and endurance (both physical and emotional).

One part of this event is the Candlelight ceremony, where the focus is on those who have fought the battle against cancer and lost. It’s a time to grieve and mourn and for some reason in Bundaberg especially, it always features words of reflection from a “religious” type – a minister or elder usually. Although God isn’t always directly spoken of, the inference is there. But why at such a secular event would that be so important?

I think in part, it’s because faith in something other than the here and now can be very important in this type of journey. Something to give you courage, to maybe even offer comfort. I don’t know as I’m not a Cancer Survivor, but I know that I clung to my faith when I lost my Dad to cancer 7 years ago this week. God gave me strength when I needed it most; physically and spiritually. Not only that, but once again we see an example of the Church pouring out God’s love in abundance in a time of remembrance and grief. 

That’s perhaps why one verse from this week’s Hebrews reading struck me as a timely reminder of the true humanity of our Saviour. The author of Hebrews points out clearly that Jesus was tested and suffered and through that is able to provide comfort, peace and healing. Remember that Jesus was called Immanuel…literally meaning “God with us”. God became fully human whilst being fully divine. God journeyed with us in our humanity, suffered as a human and willingly went to the cross in place of us, taking upon his shoulders all our mistakes and all of our short comings and providing us with Grace and forgiveness.

So if you are feeling lost and lonely or grieving a loved one. If you feel like you are being tested somehow; remember Jesus and pray: Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. (Heb 2:18)