Skip to main content

Never Give Up!

Unbelievable is what I thought when I heard the sad news yesterday that the superintendent of the Chicago Schools was found dead. The coroner ruled his death a suicide. My heart went out to his wife and family. What could drive a man to take his own life? He had a plum job, a good education and a family. Yet he felt so pressured by concerns that he might be indicted that he couldn’t see beyond his present troubles to a more hopeful future.

He had climbed the ladder of success. However at the top he saw that his ladder was leaning on the wrong wall. He may have made a mistake. He may have gotten in some trouble. However to end his life in such a way is tragic. I am going to assume that he really did not understand the forgiveness that God gives. No matter how we mess up, bungle our lives, make mistakes or are outright defiant there is a God who forgives. I’m not saying there are not consequences for our actions. I am saying that we can turn to God when there seems to be no way out. God remembers that we are dust Many times I think I’m dustier than most. Nevertheless I keep going to God and God keeps forgiving me.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Elisha, The Provision is in the Obedience

Sometimes I've felt that I've only had very little to give so why give it at all. This morning the thought came to me "All you you have is all you need to give." This thought came as I was reading the following passage in II Kings 4: 42 A man came from Baal Salishah, bringing the man of God twenty loaves of barley bread baked from the first ripe grain. "Give it to the people to eat, "Elisha said. 43 " How can I set this before a hundred men?" his servant asked. But Elisha answered, "Give it to the people to eat," For this is what the Lord says:" They will eat and have some left over" 44Then he set it before them and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord. This man only had twenty loaves to give to the prophet. The principle at work is: All that we have is all that we need to give. When we obey, God gives the increase. There are many examples in the Bible of this principle in action: Like the widow at ...

Dormant Does Not Mean Dead!

Last fall I could feel the chill of winter creeping into the atmosphere. What would happen to my beautiful red velvety  geraniums that brought me so much pleasure during the summer? I hated to say good by to them.  I wondered could they possibly live through the winter and bloom again  if  I brought  them in from the approaching  frost,  I was willing to see if they could. The wooden pot was very heavy so I enlisted some help to bring it into the unheated pool room. All winter long I watched indifferently as they began to shed leaves.  For months they lived without one drink of water from me, their neglectful owner. I began to ask myself why did I  even bother bringing them in if I wasn't going to care for them?  The dying brown leaves still did not move me to water the plant. One tenacious geranium kept  hanging on for dear life. Five months later spring arrived....

Domestic Violence - A Present and Ancient Problem

The Bible records the first horrific act of family violence in the story of Cain killing his brother Abel. God saw the anger that Cain was mistakenly harboring towards Abel.  God talked with Cain. God told Cain that he had an opportunity to correct his mistake. Consumed by jealousy Cain refused to change his attitude. . Cain continued to make Abel the target of his wrath. Cain chose rage over reason. He overpowered and killed his unsuspecting and innocent brother. Everything in creation was affected by Cain’s solitary action. Cain’s violence brought death to Abel, the disapproval of God, grief to the parents and a disillusioned life of hardship to himself. Even the earth found itself an unwilling participant as it was forced to receive Abel’s blood. Family violence has never been a confidential matter between the abuser and the abused. It disrupts life on so many levels and causes physical, mental, emotional and social pain to everyone. The injured party is no longer able t...