A LADDER TO PARADISE

A Ladder to Paradise
By Matiya Ndengi

The world we live in today barely comes close to a Paradise; everyday the wails of mourning greet our ears, the unveiling of another horrific murder like the recent Colorado shootings.Terror, trouble and trial are the order of the day. Sickness, suffering and sorrow breaks the hearts of millions around the world.

What's our consolation and hope? Do we have any hope of escaping the inevitable trials of this life? The sad news is that in one way or another we shall feel the pangs of a broken world but there's hope; Jesus said "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33.

'weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning' Psalms 30:5 The bitterness of this world is known by our God and he too grieves with us as we mourn, he is deeply pained by the suffering in a world he created to be perfect and pure. "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." Psalms 34:18

Many are hurt in thinking God has not been fair in allowing so much pain, we blame God for the terror and confusion in our world. Where is God? Is the question on people's minds when tragedy strikes and why has he allowed this calamity to befall me? "Jesus Wept" John 11:35 is a short yet potent scripture to help us; we can appreciate the fact that Jesus who is God manifest in the flesh (John 1:1,14) felt the cruelty of this world first hand and wept even for us in his day and identifies even with our feeling of abandonment when bad things happen.

The cry of Christ on the cross reveals our first lead on uncovering the mystery of suffering in our world, Jesus cried 'with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matt 27:46. God will never leave us nor forsake us but for Christ it was a different story; in order to save us Christ had to face the pain of separation from God because of our Sin both physically and intellectually. He felt truly forsaken so that we shouldn't, "he was bruised for our transgressions and the punishment that brings us peace was upon him".

'Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.' Isaiah 59:1,2

"Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart" Desire of Ages pg 753

Thus the common quagmire of suffering is solved and can be understood in Christ; the presence of Sin in our world is the cause of the terror and pain we see and experience. God however has made a Ladder of Escape to Paradise through the death of his Son who sealed our redemption with his blood and suffered in our stead. Oh what great hope we have then, we need not live in fear and helplessness; in times of sickness we can proclaim "by his stripes we are healed", in times of grief he reminds us "I am the resurrection and the life" in times of financial stress we can exclaim "But my God shall supply all my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus"

Why is there suffering in this world, it's because of sin which we can trace back to eden "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23. One day soon Jesus will return and make things right again, ushering us into an indescribable Paradise of joy and peace, it's my prayer that we shall make our lives right with him by accepting him as our Lord and saviour, come as you are, lay your burdens at the foot of the cross and He will lift you up. Amen

HOME WORK:
1. 1st John 1:9
2. Matthew 11:28
3. John 11:25
4. Isaiah 53:5
5. Phillipians 4:19