A Prayer for the Last Day of Chemotherapy

"Our Father...

It seems that those words have taken on new meaning for me in the past 3 and a half years. In those 3 years, I have done the best I could to care for my son. Through sickness and hair loss. Through crying nights and days of questions. And for much of the time, I have felt myself hanging on by a thread.

But You? You know so much better than I do what it means to watch your Boy suffer. And because You do, I believe You have poured Your grace and mercy upon us. That grace has been far more profound than just the ability to get through the day, though You have been continuously faithful for doing that.

The fact that we are still here - all of us - is a testimony to your persevering power.

But You have gone beyond giving us our daily bread. You have sat with us in quiet rooms. You have rocked with us in hard-back chairs. You have cried with us as we have seen friends leave this world and go to be with You. You have lifted us up and born us on your strong back.

Over and over again, You have proven Yourself to be abundantly, exceedingly, and wonderfully able.

I think this morning of what our son's name means: The Lord is Salvation. And the truth of that statement is starting to seep in. You have saved, are saving, and will continue to save us. And through these troubles, amazingly, we have become more convinced of Your love in Christ from which we will never be separated in us.

We have believed, and yet you have helped our unbelief. I confess at times I have accused You of sleeping in the boat while the wind and the waves raged around us, but I know deep in my heart that You do not slumber or sleep. You have been ever watchful, ever mindful, and ever good.

Thank You, Father, for keeping us in faith. For prospering us and not harming us. For giving us hope and a future.

And now, will You, by Your grace, continue to uphold our family as we move forward. Help us not to forget Your faithfulness. May the remaining decades of our lives ring with the stories of Your goodness. I pray that our little boy would become convinced of Your good work in His life, and that we might faithfully be a comfort to others with the comfort we have received from You.

May it be done for the glory of Your own suffering Son who now sits victoriously, interceding for us even at this very moment.

Amen.

**Today is the last day of intravenous chemotherapy for Joshua, 3 and a half years after his diagnosis of leukemia. After his treatment today, he will take his pills for 5 more days. The last pill is Sunday.