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Lately, I’ve been navigating the world of oncology—a completely separate reality from the “normal” we all know. The chemotherapy schedule completely takes over your life. Even with my background as a retired nurse, I have found myself having to look up medical jargon just to understand the sheer complexity of the tests, numbers, and drugs. All of it can be overwhelming and exhausting, not to mention dealing with the side effects.
Have you ever found yourself completely overwhelmed by the dizzying complexity of modern systems, technology, or unexpected life crises? If so, you are in good company with some of the greatest minds of the American Revolution.
Revolutionary War Era
James Lovell served in Continental Congress and he loved to decipher British Code. But Lovell didn’t just want to read the enemy’s mail—he wanted American diplomats to communicate in secure ciphers, too. The problem was that his new, highly complex cipher required a key, and Lovell refused to risk sending that key across an ocean. British spies might intercept it.
So, he decided to base the key on a personal riddle he assumed John Adams and Benjamin Franklin could easily solve based on past conversations.
It was a disaster. James Lovell’s complex mathematical grids left both men utterly puzzled. Over in France, a frustrated Benjamin Franklin finally packed up all the components, handed them to another diplomat, and confessed he had tried to crack it in vain. Meanwhile, John Adams wrote a blunt letter back to the Continental Congress stating that the instructions Lovell sent were completely “inexplicable.” Lovell’s genius had accidentally outwitted two of the most intelligent men alive.
Back to Living in Today’s World
But there is a striking contrast here that has brought me so much comfort in the middle of my chaotic oncology world:
There is no secret code required to access the Lord.
God does not hide his comfort behind complex systems or theological riddles. He fully understands the difficult seasons of our lives, and He already did all the heavy lifting on the cross to reconcile us to Himself. Instead, He gave us the Holy Spirit so we can understand spiritual things.
We have a High Priest who understands our weaknesses because He walked this earth and was tempted just as we are. When life’s complexities make you want to pull your hair out, God doesn’t hand you a cipher grid. He hands you an open invitation to run straight into His presence.
Father, we thank You that You are a God of perfect peace and clarity. When life feels like a confusing code that we just cannot crack, remind us that Your grace is beautifully simple. Help us to drop our own cipher grids today and simply rest in Your presence. Give my friends listening today a tangible sense of Your comfort this week. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you for joining me today. Until next time, keep your heart focused on the things that matter most.
