United Church of God

Letter From Nathan Ekama - May 29, 2020

Letter From Nathan Ekama

May 29, 2020

Yesterday, Thursday, May 28th, 2020, my youngest brother would have been 33. He's not though. Instead it's been a little over five years since he took his own life. Living in Ohio, my brother only got to meet and play with my son twice during the year that their lives overlapped. He never saw my daughter and he never got married. I reflect often on the lost opportunities of time together as a family and my brother's untapped potential as a person.

Difficult circumstances have a way of granting us the opportunity to adjust our perspective. In last week's shared letter, the crux of what Messers Clark and Vaughan were advocating was for us - in the midst of global adversity - to take on God's perspective.

Whether we are reeling from a health trial, family difficulties, or any other sort of adversity, as Christians, our reaction ought to be, "what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37).

God grants us the opportunity to face adversity. Then He waits to see if we will harden our hearts, gnash our teeth, and stop our ears as we defy Him (Acts 7:54, 57-58) or if we will count it all joy because we know that the testing of our faith produces wonderful outcomes (James 1:2-4).

There hasn't been a week that has gone by over the past five years and three months since my brother's death where I haven't gone back to reassess how I am looking at life. Do I trust that God is in control? Do I have faith in Him to hold to His Word and His plan for me and my brother?

With both the Sabbath and the Day of Pentecost upon us, it is a good time to honestly assess how well our perspective aligns with God's.

I hope that you each have a wonderfully fulfilling Sabbath and Feast of Weeks.


 

Your brother-in-Christ,

Nathan Ekama