Life is full of trouble, but there's hope

Thursday, November 11, 2010

It was another tragic week in Gentry with the death of 19-yearold Logan Norris - an event which many, and especially his family, find hard to understand. And it is indeed so sad when a young life is lost in such a manner.

My condolences go out to Logan’s family at this most difficult time. I did not know Logan but cried over him and prayed for him, just the same. And I am empathetic for the pain his family and friends must be suffering.

This and the many other tragedies which are an all-too regular occurrence here, and a daily occurrence somewhere, are a reminder that we live in a sin-scarred world and that each of us, too, is scarred by our own shortcomings andfailures and those of others. Who hasn’t been distraught? Who hasn’t at times despaired over life’s troubles? Life is - plain and simple - full of trouble.

That is also why it’s so important to have hope beyond this earthly life, in something far better, to know and accept the fact that this world and our lives here are messed up because of our own sinfulness and shortcomings but also to know and accept through faith in God’s Word the fact that God didn’t create things this way and that He sent His own dear Son, Christ Jesus, to be the remedy for the mess we’ve made - He suffered and died for sin and earned with His shed blood forgiveness for sinful mankind and a place for us in heaven where there willbe no more sin and evil and no more pain and suffering and death.

How people live without that hope and confidence I do not understand. How people can place all their hopes here in this world even as things, and eventually their very lives, crumble and fall around them is also beyond my understanding.

Though it’s easier to say than to believe in times of trouble, there is no problem and no trouble too great for a merciful God to fix. Nor is there any reason as we live our lives here in this temporary, sin-scarred world to despair of all hope.

Don’t give up. Don’t let the troubles of this life lead to despair and senseless acts. There is forgiveness and help. There is hope and life itself. And it’s in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Look to Him!

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by e-mail at rmoll @ nwaonline .com.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 11/10/2010