KEY VERSE: “Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for! Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!” (Job 6:8,9). Secularism and liberalism have made nonsense of what is generally referred to as fundamental human rights. The rights and freedom of man have been carried to the point that man is considered to have the right to determine whatever he wants with his life. It is believed that man is the owner of his life and so has the right to do whatever he wants with it. One of such rights is what is termed the “right to die!” Advocates of this argue that a person has the right to end his life or seek assistance of another (a doctor) to end it when he considers the quality of his life to be worse and worthless. Another term for this is “mercy killing” or “assisted suicide.” This is more applied to one who has a terminal disease. Since he will eventually die, it is considered wise and helpful to hasten the death and free him from further pain. It is also recommended for a baby who has a serious deformity from birth that will make living very difficult. This is absurd and contradicts God’s command against taking another person’s life. Created in the image of God, we are stewards of our lives and not owners. We can therefore not do whatever we like with it, let alone end it. Besides, it is a manifestation of unbelief which unwisely depreciates the providence and miraculous power of God. This was the kind of request Job made in our text today. Crushed under the weight of his sufferings, he thought there was no more point continuing to live and wished to die. But God who knew better and had better plans for him ignored his request. What happened to him at last shows that there cannot be a hopeless situation with God. On no condition should you think of putting an end to your life. It is like a borrowed book; you will have to return it and give account of how you use it someday! THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: You don’t have the right over what is not yours!
Posted on: Tue, 16 Jul 2013 05:54:59 +0000