Mat 6:31 So do
not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or
‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his
kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you
as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
The Bali 9 has
become Bali 7 with the execution of Andrew Chan, and Mayuran Sukumaran.
Andrew Chan was
married to Febyanti Herewila on the eve of his execution as his final
wish. The ceremony was conducted by David Soper, a Salvation Army
minister. (unlike gays who would have no right to marriage even without
prison bars).
Amongst the call for
mercy, it is easy to forget their crimes being the ring leader to bring
in 8.4kg of heroin drugs (AUD 4 million) into Australia.
The opinion of many
friends including Indonesians were that they deserved it, as their
crimes would have
caused much harm.
My poorer friends
were adamant that they had to die because they wanted a shortcut to
riches. They were after a quick pay day.
I believe in God's
grace and mercy, and that the sentence should have been delayed at worst
and commuted at best.
When we
give mercy, we open the door for redemption. The deaths of Andrew and
Myuran will not halt the drug trafficking which is intertwined with the
web of corruption at all power levels in Indonesia.
They died singing
the hymn Amazing Grace. They had received no grace from the authorities,
but God's grace in Jesus Christ will lead them home to a better place.
I am reminded that
many of my gay friends often remarked casually how many times they tried
committing suicide. I understand that they are suffering, yet life is
precious.
In reflecting his
life, Andrew had once remarked that
"Guess
what runs through my head is about how precious life really"
"Suppose I am
thankful that everyday I get to wake up"
On studying in Bible
College, Andrew reminded us-
"I believe you've
got to build yourself up to something, you've got to start some where"
In reality, life was
over when he got caught and was sentenced to death. Yet where there is
life, there is always hope.
Andrew brought us a
message that although he was physically in jail, his life transcends
beyond his prison bars. by having faith and hope in Jesus Christ.
Ultimately, death has no victory because Jesus has already conquered
death and is risen again so that we could rise to heaven when we die.
We live in a world
where we plan too much ahead and worry about tommorow in what we would
eat and where to stay.
We have forgotten,
the precious thing is to live and to be greatful we are alive. And
we live, one day at a time. We don't live for tommorow but for today.
God's grace is sufficient for each day of our lives just as manna is
given each day.
For many of us being
gay is like a life sentence only that the prison bars is unseen. This is
exemplified by love singapore insisting that gays be put in jail which
is ironic because we are already in jail.
But we need to start
living, and to start living as if we are not in jail and that the
closets we are in holds no barrier for us. We start when we know that we
are not alone, for God will give us His grace each day through Jesus
Christ.
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