An Update on Scott Marques
In Philippians 1:21, Paul famously states that for him, ‘to live is Christ and to die is gain.’ It reveals his longing to be in heaven with Jesus as well as the strength of his desire to spread the Gospel message here on earth. As he contemplates the possibility of death, Paul seems to have no fear. I often wonder how I would respond in similar circumstances. Yet Paul is also full of compassion for the physical suffering of others, and in the very next chapter reveals his pastor’s heart when talking of his friend Epaphroditus, who has recently recovered from a life-threatening illness:
But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Phil 2:27
It is a very human response to the suffering of a friend, something we can all identify with. Many of you will know that our dear friend Scott Marques has recently been diagnosed with cancer. It has now been confirmed that he is suffering from a rare form of blood cancer called Mantle Cell Lymphoma. He will need to undergo an intensive course of treatment, and has already gone through the first cycle. I have been amazed at the faith, fortitude and positivity Scott has shown in the last weeks, despite the diagnosis and daunting prospect of months of chemotherapy. Like Paul, Scott knows that ultimately his future is secure in Jesus. But we know that the side effects of chemotherapy can be gruelling, and the next few months will be challenging at times. Please continue to pray for Scott, for complete healing from the cancer and for minimal side effects from the chemo. Please pray also for his wife Claire and their family, for River of Life Church in Harare, and for the DNa family of churches in southern Africa. For more details of how you can be praying, please watch Scott’s latest video update for his church:
Deb and I have brought forward our planned visit to Harare in early April in order to spend more time with key leaders at River of Life Church and the family of DNa churches.
Like me, you probably know of others who are trusting God as they walk through treatment for cancer or other illnesses. Let’s continue to pray for them all, placing our hope in him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine.
