Desiring Death - Jewell Utt
We live in a world of fast paces and great need. Our family needs us, our church needs us, our community needs us. We are bound to grow weary and we are in good company. Moses, Elijah, Jonah, and Paul all experienced the emotional toll of serving others. They struggled with weariness brought on by people and circumstances. It’s the hard part of growth and ministry.
Weariness causes us to feel and say things we later regret. Things that display our weaknesses, at moments we hope to keep private; among family or close friends. However, God in His infinite wisdom, chose to make these human moments public for generations to read.
Let’s recall a few…
Elijah: “I have had enough! LORD, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:4
Jonah:“And now, LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Jonah: 4: 3
Paul: “We were completely overwhelmed—beyond our strength—so that we even despaired of life.” 2 Corinthians 8
Job: “If only God would decide to crush me, to unleash His power and cut me off! I am disgusted with my life. I will express my complaint and speak in the bitterness of my soul. Job 6:8-10
And My Personal Favorite…
Moses: “Why do You burden me with all these people? They are too much for me. If You are going to treat me like this, please kill me right now.” Numbers 11:11,14,15
Seeing “The Greats” at the end of their rope, expressing their weaknesses and frustrations to God, helps us to know three crucial facts for our lives.
- They were flawed and yet God used them.
- They boldly shared their anger and complaints and God corrected them.
- They were intimately honest, as with a father, and God was compassionate to them.
So why did God choose to reveal their less than stellar moments?
So we would know:
In their weakness God showed grace.
In our weakness God does the same.
Bible version: Holman Christian Standard Bible
