Thoughts for another day

September 7, 2006

Today's verse: Eccl. 11:7,8. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. (KJV).

By nature we human beings love light and warmth. We are called to be warm-blooded people and therefore it is in essence right that we choose to be warm. Extending this further, people expect all good things come their way. If there is any deviation they are sad. We expect that we always remain warm. That, we remain in our comfort zones. God forbid if somebody moves us out of them, the choicest expletives are reserved for those people. You and I are both this way for our nature is such. Perhaps, there is nothing wrong in it. However, in the verse today, the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes asks us to remember the days of darkness.

It is in such days that the real human being comes out. It is in living the dark days that victory is hoped for and beheld; the worth of light, revealed. Jesus Christ Himself went through utter darkness. The separation from the Father resulted in His only cry of despair, ‘Eloi Eloi, lama sabachtani’ And the Father heard Him and raised Him from the dead (did not release Him from the darkness anyway!) As a believer you and I are made God’s children. As such, we will dwell with Him and because God is light, we will never have darkness in eternity.

It is in the here and now, that God at times throws us into darkness. (Ecclesiastes says the days are many!) If you are in darkness, I pray that God strengthen you. My friend this darkness is not meant to make you suffer; rather, bring you closer to Him. In such a situation, He looks to see our approach. Will we bear with a little suffering He gives or will we turn and curse Him. I prefer Job’s approach, ‘What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?’ Job 2:10.