"The Worst Day Ever" -- part 2

Today, I would like to follow up with the "Worst Day Ever" series by considering the case of Ryunosuke Akutagawa, a Japanese writer of the early 20th century. If anyone had cause to have a "Worst Day Ever," it was Akutagawa. Shortly after his birth, his mom went insane. He was subsequently adopted by an uncle. When he was 28, in 1921, he interrupted a successful writing career to become a reporter in China, during which he became very ill.

So here is a young man, in the prime of life, who has no parents, no health. Furthermore, after his China experience, his mental and physical health started deteriorating. By the time he was 35, in 1927, he overdosed on prescription medication. This young man, who had so much going for him - a world-class author and reporter -- totally gave up!

Hiroshi Inamura, a specialist in youth suicide, says that youth frequently commit suicide as an attempt to somehow punish those, such as parents or the lack thereof, who slighted them by their death. Let me address for a moment the idea many in our world have that God has slighted them. Such people, if they don't commit actual suicide, may instead commit a form of intellectual or moral or emotional suicide, telling themselves that "God doesn't care what I think, who I am, what I do, how I feel, so why should I?" and totally give up on themselves and let themselves fall into all sorts of depravity, which is what exists in the absence of God.

I want to counter such assumptions today with the story of Gideon in Judges 6-7. The nation of Israel was being oppressed by the Midianites. Granted, it was as a result of their sin, and God allowed it to bring them to repentance. Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press at the time, in order to save it from the Midianites. We can think of the wine press as kind of a hiding place: a place of safety for both the wheat and for Gideon. He may have been thinking, "God has abandoned us to the Midianites, I'll just store up what little I have here in the winepress, and die. That will teach God for allowing the nation of Israel to be destroyed!" for such is the way of human despair. But God had other plans.

The Angel of the Lord, whom many commentaries and myself included believe to be a Christophany, an appearance of Christ in the Old Testament, calls out "The Lord is with you, O caliant warrior!" Gideon is so despondent that he argues with God, doubting what the Lord could do through him. But God loved Gideon and used him even through all his doubts and insecurities, to defeat the enemy, and even kept the land free from enemy control all the days of Gideon's life, even though Gideon again screwed up after he won the initial battle by creating an idol out of the gold the army captured. We know this because Judges 8:28 declares that the land had 40 years of peace during the time of Gideon.

So in closing let me encourage you, those who have gicen their lives to Christ, the Lord is with you! You are a mighty warrior! Throw off the sin that so easily besets you! Cast down your idols! Let God use you! Don't consider past failures or defeats!

And if you have not given your life to Christ, let me encourage you to do so, that you may have life everlasting and full of glory!

I will continue with part three with some practical solutions on how to overcome the worst day ever.

"The Worst Day Ever" -- part 1

Think about the worst day you ever had...

• Starts out, you fell out of bed
• Then, you stub your toe
• Your breakfast went cold
• Your company cancels

Nothing seems to be going right! Everything is out of control! Then you look at the news: our banks are failing, auto makers going bankrupt, scammers like Abramoff stealing peoples' life savings, not to mention the seeming undending War on Terror. Totally out of control!

So what can we do about it?

I would like to offer three answers:

First, we could do what a lot of folks in the TV and media do, namely moan and groan and complain about how bad things are. This "answer" only tends to make things worse. Indeed, we have a Society of Complaint. We gripe and like to have our way and wonder why others "have it better." Furthermore, we want our "rights," our "piece of the pie," and we want it RIGHT NOW! It's the fast-food, McDonald's culture.

In this first part of "The Worst Day Ever" series, I would like to talk a bit about Asaph. You may be scratching your head wondering who exactly Asaph is, but I can guarantee that you have probably read one of his Psalms (there are 12 of them). He was the chief musician during David's time. On the saurface, it seems like he must have been a godly man, to have been placed in such a high position, to have written so many psalms that were sung by so many people for 3000 years - surely such a man had no trials or complaints - right?

That being said, lets look at Psalm 73. Verse 1 says "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart." Nice sentiment, and one I agree with, but what is the substance behind it?

In verses 2 and 3, Asaph confesses his guilt to the Lord, because he was envious of wealthy people. Waitasec! The chief musician of Israel, the Hillsong of the ancient world, committing one of the seven deadly sins!

Then he goes on in verses 4 through 12 to list all the things that make him mad about them. Basically, it's the same complaint that is common today: the rich get richer and don't suffer, don't have a care in the world.

Then in verses 13 and 14, Asaph has a real pity party! He says he has kept himself pure for no reason at all; he gets punished daily, yet the rich are carefree! Keep in mind, this is the chief musician, someone comparable to Jeremy Camp or Chris Tomlin today. And to add insult to injury, in verses 15 and 16, Asaph actually mouths off to God! If any of today's musicians spoke like this, they would surely be vilified.

But praise be to God for He is rich in mercy and slow to anger. Asaph doesn't stop and content himself with his envy, pity, bitterness, and hard feelings toward God. He returns to God, represented by the sanctaury, to try to make it right. The Lord showed Asaph the final condition of all those who trust in their wealth and themselves rather than in the Almighty God whose name is to be forever praised. Their seeming riches today will be destroyed suddenly.

In verses 21-22, Asaph repents before God, admitting he was senseless and ignorant as a brute beast. But yet, in spite of all these misfailings, God never left Asaph! In the same way, He will NEVER leave you either, if you admit your guilt and turn to the Lord for salvation and deliverance. Then He will be for you, as He was for Asaph, your Refuge, your Counsel, your Desire, the Strength of your heart, and your Portion forever. I pray He may become those things for you today.

I will be posting a link to this new sermon series on my website, Unrapped Ministries. There are many additional resources for Christians there, both free and paid. Please check it out and drop me a line!

In His Service,

Rev. randy