The Holy City

This is a picture of an ancient olive tree in the Garden of Gesthemane on the Mount of Olives outside the Holy City. It is estimated to be more than 1,000 years old but probably wasn't there when Jesus visited the Garden on the last night of His life on Earth. The Romans destroyed all the trees when they lay siege to Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

When King Nebuchadnezzar threatened Daniel and his friends with immediate execution for refusing to worship a golden image, their swift response required no discussion or weighing of the alternatives. "We don't have to defend ourselves in this matter. If we are thrown into this blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us and He will rescue us from your hand. But even if He does not, know this, Oh King, we will not worship your image."

These men came face-to-face with an enemy that was poised to destroy them immediately in a most painful way. What kind of a scale did they use to weigh the value of their physical life against their worship of what the Apostle Paul called "The Unseen God?" The answer is simple, beloved. Although they had never met the Messiah, their lives were hidden with God in Christ. So are ours.

Through the eyes of faith, they saw what John was shown in Revelation 22 when an Angel took him into the future to see the Holy City, the new Jerusalem. This is Daniel's home. This is our home. This is our future.

Daniel, like us, knew only of life as it is lived in this body. His argument to the king, however, presented three truths that he held to be self-evident; God is able, God will rescue us, but if He does not,---. Daniel did not know what would happen to him that day.

We are just the same. And we are different. Daniel's battle was swift. Ours is long. After spending several nights on a small cot in Val's hospital room at Cedars, I woke up one morning and thought, hey, if the rest of my life is spent with Val in room 506, that's ok with me.

As we approach one year from Val's diagnosis, I can confidently say that, by God's grace, I do not grow tired or weary of this battle. As He rescued Daniel, I know He will rescue us. And all praise and honor must go to the throne of His Son.

Continue to pray for us beloved. Pray for my wife Nancy who is having an MRI on her brain today after experiencing some weakness in her side. Pray for Chris who had an ominious message from his doctor regarding some blood tests last week. Pray for Val who continues her daily battle with pain. Pray that the slow healing wounds in her abdomen heal quickly. Pray for a trip to Kauai tomorrow. Val, Chris, Ryan, and Gavin are scheduled to be gone for a week. Pray that Val stays healthy in Hawaii. Pray for the upcoming PET/CT for Val the following week and Chemo treatment 22 the week after.

Godspeed

P.S. You may notice that Chad changed the picture on our Blog title recently. This is only part of the "Sloan" Clan. Missing is Jeff's wife Janet, Josh, Jessie, Jared, Justus, Julie's husband Chad, Kyle, Julie Ann, and Nathan. Whew!