'Lifetime'

In a number of telephone conversations over the past week, the question arose how many 'maintenance courses' I should still have. Most had understood that it would be a limited number. Apparently the previous posts about this have not been clear. That's why we're just trying to get that straight.

Metastatic lung cancer cannot be cured. That was the message from the start. And that means that after the initial 4 cures (from autumn 2019) an unlimited number of 'maintenance courses' is now required. Until the end of this earthly life; 'lifelong' so to speak. In practical terms, this means that you will be in a three-week medical merry-go-round until the end of your life. That is not a prospect that makes us happy.

Then there are two further conceivable reasons why the maintenance courses could or should be stopped. The first is that at some point the body can no longer tolerate it and damage and side effects are too great to continue. The second reason is that the Lord somehow makes it clear that He has healed what people think is impossible and no further treatment is needed.

God's way is perfect

It is a road with many human uncertainties. We have no idea how it will all go, but thankfully the Lord knows. His way is perfect, as Psalm 18 also says.

³² God's way is perfect,
the word of the LORD is refined,
He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him. ³² For who is God but the LORD?
Who is a rock but only our God?
³³ It is God Who girds me with strength;
He has made my way perfect.

Psalm 18: 31-33

You could say a lot about these texts, but the core is that David sees that the way God goes with him has also turned out to be 'a perfect way' for him.
So we go after Him in weakness, trusting that He knows the good and perfect way for us.

Love

These are not things that we only know intellectually, but they have everything to do with God's love for us and our love for Him. The Psalm itself says so.

I love you dearly, Lord, my strength.
(…) He saved me, because He was fond of me.

Psalm 18:2 and 20

And in the language of the New Testament we may repeat it after John:

¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the propitiation for our sins.
¹⁹ We love Him because He first loved us.

1 John 4:10 and 19