I Read Today

I read in the obituaries today about a man I cared for in the hospital a couple of months ago. He was there on a drug overdose. We talked at length and I was amazed at the guy’s love of God and his knowledge of Scripture. He was remorseful of his decision and was ready for another run at life. The guy was a computer expert with a great job. He asked if I would be his mentor. I said yes, but never heard from him, wondering what happened.

So I was surprised to read that he was dead. I imagined at age 28 that it was not old age illnesses that had taken his life. Perhaps he had overdosed again. Or perhaps he had been in an accident. I don’t know, but God does. You see we are all made in God’s image and likeness the Bible tells us in Genesis. That means that we have immeasurable worth through Him who made us. We have gifts and talents to give back to the world that others may come to know the One who made us. You see “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities-His eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:18-20). Again in Ecclesiastes the writer says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11-12).

All men know that God created each person. We just may not acknowledge it for whatever reason. Some want to keep control and not bow to anyone or thing. Some are afraid of a God who knows all and is in all.  Some say that they are atheists; which is a religion about self. Don’t fool yourself.  It is pretty sorry to think that this life is all there is. You just die and that’s it. Well friend, to God a day is 1000 years. This life is a nanosecond.  The Bible says “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). God knew us before creation began. You can choose to believe that or not. The consequence of not believing it is death in agony in hell eternally.

I am saddened that a man would take his own life. Yet with depression, the darkness can be so great that there does not seem to be an alternative. I know because I have been there. But by the grace of God I could not go through with it. “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). God has put before us life or death, choose life! Grab something or someone today that has meaning for you. If you can’t figure it out, ask a friend to name something for you.  Open God’s Word, the Bible and turn to the Gospel of John or 1 John and read. There are some 7,500 promises of God to us in the Bible and they and God are good. Believe it and live.