We have been unfaithful to our God …. but in spite of this, there is
still hope for Israel.
News of the 16 year old UP student’s suicide last Friday not just
caused grief but aroused anger among various communities. They were pointing at
the state university’s cold-hearted treatment to the girl, who after failing to
meet the P10K tuition fee deadline, was forced to file a leave of absence and
surrender her well-loved school ID. Prof Martinez, her adviser, observed that ‘studying
was her anchor, her lifesaver, her escape. When it was taken away from her, her
life dilemmas sank in’. ‘UP deprived my
daughter of her only hope to help us’ her father said. And it was that hopelessness that took her
young life.
Even in the Bible, we see our faith heroes not exempt from seemingly
hopeless times. Look at their quotable quotes: from Moses ‘It is too heavy for me. Kill me I
pray’; from Elijah ‘I have had enough Lord. Take me now’; and from Job and
Jonah ‘It is better for me to die than
to live’. Indeed, desperate times call for desperate measures. But giving up negates all that God is. It pictures a God who provides not, sees
not, cares not. It blames Him for the inequality of life. It denies His power
to make miracles and turn lives around. It accuses His promises empty and calls
Him a liar. Sure, we don’t actually
curse God when our faces hit the wall. Because truth is, most of the time, we haven’t
been really calling at all. We are only alone when we choose isolation. And that’s
where darkness lies.
In Ezra’s last chapter, guilt haunted all of Judah and they had every
reason to succumb to fear. They knew they aroused God’s wrath by marrying pagan
wives which was a direct and specific command. History told them exile was next,
but Ezra expected the worst. It was in this distress that God used a man
Shecaniah to bring light back into his eyes. Like King David, he knew it is
better to fall in the hands of an angry God, for His mercy is great. That’s their
hope. God’s their hope. In Him there is grace, there is forgiveness, there is
future. In Him, there is always a way out. Jesus promised He will provide it. In
fact, He even called Himself THE Way. That’s
why we shouldn’t give up on life. Instead, let’s give it all – our cares, our
troubles, our pains - to Him who cares for us, and our lives, the most.
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