Around the middle of November I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). This explains why the December issue of From Death to Life is only now being published in January. Medically speaking the prognosis is very poor, but I prefer to focus on God not “the odds”. I have lots of friends praying for me who want to stay informed as to my progress. My wife set up a blog for this purpose   (davidburge.wordpress.com).  One post I wrote was entitled, “Top Ten Things to be Thankful For With Cancer”. Among those things for which I was thankful were:

10. I am saving money on haircuts;

9. I am saving money on shampoo and conditioner;

8. It takes no time at all to shave in the mornings;

7. I can enjoy my food and don’t have to worry about my cholesterol …

I did a little bit of a thought experiment. Hard to do for someone that believes as passionately as I do that truth is truth no matter how one thinks or feels about it. I have many friends who take comfort in the “fact” that they are going immediately to heaven if and when they die. They wonder if Conditional Immortality takes away from the Christian’s comfort in the face of death.

In my experience the answer is no! Again, truth is truth no matter how one feels about it, but I have found much joy and comfort in the truly Biblical hope of a resurrection to eternal life in the kingdom of God when Jesus comes again. To be “up in heaven” when I so passionate want to remain here to help my family would be a source of endless frustration to me. To say, as I have heard some preachers say to young children, that Jesus wanted Daddy in heaven, more than you want him here on earth, seems likely to put people off faith in God. Better to have our children, no matter how young, see death as “the last enemy” and look toward that great reunion when Jesus comes again.

Did I mention that truth is truth no matter how one feels about it?