This Day

This is a book of silver linings in storm clouds.

The first verse that caught my eye was 2:4

"Like an enemy, he aimed his bow, bared his sword, and killed our young men, our pride and joy. His anger, like fire, burned down the homes in Zion."

This was the image of God. It must have been taken to be the image of the Messiah. One can just imagine the Jews reminding each other of this, and consoling themselves with the thought that the Messiah would do this to the Romans.

But a 'zealous' Messiah would not have gained the trust and surprise of Roman soldiers, nor would he have heard Pilate's yearning for the truth. It is simply amazing that God would choose to lead a silent revolution. But when I think about it, there was no other way.

3:22-24 was the inspiration for Steven Curtis Chapman's song 'This Day' and the hymn 'Great is Thy Faithfulness'. It is verse 24, however, that caught my attention this time: "I'm sticking with God... He's all I've got left."

Once, Soo Tian sent me this message, "He is my only hope... it's either I cling to him or I sink into nothing." It encouraged me then, it still does. Ben Moody of Evanescence wrote these words in the liner notes of the CD: "Jesus -- all the life left in me is you."

In suffering, we find that God is all there is in the end. But if we really believe that, we'll also find that God is enough. He is all we need to make it through the night.

"When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear" are the words of 3:28-29. They remind me of STM. Indeed, I can hardly wait to go there for DNA this year. There are times of refreshing that one cannot do without, and I'm sure Soo Tian will agree!

The element of cannibalism during the years of Jerusalem's attack and fall, I never noticed until I read Peterson's introduction. Sure enough, verses like 4:10 depict the moral depravity the people sank into. All these are merely symptoms of a life disconnected from God. The reason why there's so much evil around is because man has chosen his own will.

C.S. Lewis, in The Great Divorce, wrote (possibly quoting George MacDonald) "There are two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'Thy will be done.'"

But the verse that stirred me, most of all, was 5:21;

"Bring us back to you, God -- we're ready to come back. Give us a fresh start."

Earlier, I gave in to the temptation to do something I should not have done. It began to rain then, and then it stopped. When I read this verse, it began to rain again. I was reminded of my failure. But I was also reminded, on both occasions, that it was raining when I met up with Sivin to discuss mentoring. He used the rain as a metaphor of new beginnings, when the old is washed away, and the new is ushered in.

And so I pray for God's forgiveness, and his renewal. Amen.