"Hear that uproar from the city,
hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound of the Lord
repaying His enemies all they deserve."
Isaiah 66:6
Cold blooded murders... Abductions and unexplained disappearances (men ending up as
"desaparecidos")... Hooded armed men... Motorcycle-riding gunmen... Brutal rape and slaying of innocent women and children... Vicious killings and kidnappings by terrorist groups in the guise of rebellion, political cleansing and ideological struggle... Wayward youth whose lives have been destroyed by drugs... Statistics are rising fast at the expense of hapless families.
This is the only place in the world where "salvage" is more known to refer to summary killings instead of its legal meaning of saving a vessel, goods or life from the perils of the sea.
"Collateral Damage" was the title of the movie that James and I enjoyed watching in the past. A few years later, collateral damage was attached to his name, now a
"desaparecido" (one who has disappeared) himself. I guess one will never know the depth of such pain unless you have experienced grave injustice yourself.
I have been asked too many times how I have learned to forgive. The answer lies in the promise that my GOD gave me one early morning four years ago... a promise that was conveyed to me in an unequivocal manner...
"Truth is nowhere to be found,
and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.
The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice.
He saw that there was no one,
He was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so His own arm worked salvation for Him, and His own righteousness sustained Him.
He put on righteousness as His breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on His head;
He put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak.
According to what they have done, so will He repay wrath to His enemies and retribution to His foes; He will repay the islands their due."
Isaiah 59:15-18
Since then, I have totally surrendered all anger, bitterness, vindictiveness and hatred in my heart. Forgiveness came easy by accepting that
vengeance,
which does not truly lie in my hands,
had been promised.
Today, this promise was reiterated in God's own words...
"For the day of vengeance was in my heart,
and the year of my redemption has come.
I looked, but there was no one to help,
I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm worked salvation for me and
my own wrath sustained me.
I trampled the nations in anger;
in my wrath I made them drunk and
poured their blood on the ground."
Isaiah 63:4-6
He validated it through the story of King Solomon (1 Kings) and demonstrated how He met all His covenants to His people.
The message remains:
He fulfills all His promises.Here's wishing you all a blessed and meaningful Good Friday!
Blessings to all
,
POSTSCRIPT:
I will be taking that long overdue break next week.
I will be back by the end of April in time for the acknowledgment of my top droppers.
I hope you will continue to drop your ECs in my absence. :-)
