Money, it is said, does not buy happiness. And yet, not having any has problems of its own! What is this winter’s electricity bill going to look like (shudder)? How does anyone with a mortgage in a capital city sleep at night? How do people who don’t grocery shop at Aldi even live? How do people even afford Maccas once a week these days?
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It is easy to then buy into the idea that once we’re rolling in dough all our problems (or most of them anyway) will go away. But even the rich and famous have problems of their own. There are times when some of them even think that life is not worth living. This week two rather well known people decided to take their own lives. We do not know the circumstances which lead them to make that choice but according to experts, it is often more complicated than we think. Thankfully, we live in a country where we can visit a GP who can diagnose and if necessary refer us to a professional who can help.
Christians sometimes think that it is all just a spiritual matter. As long as we keep praying and reading our Bible, we should be ok. But it is often more complex than that. Take the prophet Elijah for example. In 1 Kings 18 we read about him defeating the prophets of Baal by calling down fire from heaven. He shows the king of Israel who (really) is boss, calls up rain to end a severe drought and comes first in a chariot race. On foot. How dramatic, and yet, right after that, he sits down under a bush and tells God to take his life (1 Kings 19:4)! Here is a man who is the mouthpiece of God. He walks with God and hears from him in ways we can only imagine. But after a great victory he just wants to lie down and die.
Meanwhile for the rest of us, let us look out for one another. If we see someone in need or distress, we should do what we can to help (James 2:14-20).
All brickbats, bouquets and banter welcome at pastor@pmbc.org.au
