Irritation? Burn? Cancer? The irritable bowel problem had worsened to the point of internal bleeding last Friday.  But by the mercy of God, on Saturday I was given the great joy of escorting my daughter, Bethany, into the presence of the bridegroom, James Jennings of San Antonio.  After the noon church love-feast Sunday the intestinal spasms were so bad and painful that there was no way I dared to eat that evening.  The spasms left that night and then I was able to get an appointment with the GI doctor at Menorah Medical in KC for this morning.  They suggested that it was not the cancer getting into the bowel, but rather a burn from the cyber-knife radiation last Sept.  I thought I was out of the woods, but they said not necessarily.  So they have prescribed some medicine and advised me to go ahead and eat.  But the meal was way too much abuse and threw me into six hours of spasms and agony again.  It has now settled and I am able to drink water slowly.  It looks like the only hope is to fast again, and then eat very small portions ever so carefully.  I am sick, weak, and frail, frankly.  I am down to 129# and sure do ask for prayer, my dear friends.

Meditation:  Ecclesiastes 7:1b  … the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.  What!  How can this be?  It is true for the Christian, and only for him.  Here are some reasons why it is better…

• Birth: a struggle begins
• Death: we enter into rest, Rev. 14.13, Heb. 4.9
• Birth: we begin sinning
• Death: we are out of the presence of sin, 2Pet. 3.13
• Birth: the body is a problem
• Death: the body is gone and soon to be raised immortal, Php. 3.21, 1Cor. 15.53,54
• Birth: we have evil company
• Death: we have angels and saints for company, Heb. 12.22f
• Birth: many unknowns
• Death: the end of all unknowns and mysteries, “no more sea”, Rev. 21.1
• Birth: tears
• Death: no more tears, sorrow, crying, pain, death, but rather full joy, Isa. 51.11
• Birth: we are without God
• Death: we are with the Lord, 1John 3.2, 1Thes. 4.17

The Lord Jesus secured extreme blessings for us at the cross when He died for the believing, repentant sinner.  But for the non-Christian, at birth he begins a life of deceptive pleasures, and, alas, at death, indescribable woes.  It would be better if he had never been born, Mark 14.21.  Be very sure that you are in union with Christ.