National Suicide Prevention Day- Sept. 10th

Yesterday was National Suicide Prevention Day. It's a day created to help save lives. The more we dialog about this, the more we expose the "elephant in the room", the less frightening it becomes. As we become less frightened,(no- studies show that talking about it does not increase the risk, or put thoughts of doing it into peoples minds!)the more people who feel like suiciding will be able to seek help before their families and loved ones are left behind to pick up the pieces. The above picture was self taken by my dad on his camera. We found it the other day. Another reminded that he is gone, and that this charming, cheesy grin is something I'll only see in photos.

This day got me thinking: suicide isn't new, it has been happening since the fall of Adam and Eve. Their are 7 people recorded in the Bible as having taken their own lives.

Abimelech- Judges 9:50-54 was a ruler over Israel for 3 yrs. He ordered his armor-bearer to kill him by sword, after he was hit on the head with a milestone by a woman.

Samson- Judges 16:23-31- Samson was given super-human strength by God, but ended up being deceived by a woman who found out his "secret" to his power, and then handed him over to the enemy, the Philistines. They gouged out his eyes and kept him as a prisoner. One day, they brought Samson out for entertainment during a party, and he pushed over the pillars killing many, including himself.

Ahithophel-2 Samuel 17:23- was David's council who turned against him and joined with Absalom to try to kill David. When Absalom decided not to follow Ahithophel's plan, he "put his house in order and hanged himself."

Zimri-1 Kings 16:15-20- was a ruler only 7 days. He set fire to his home (the palace) and himself once he realized he was to be overpowered.

King Saul-1 Sam.31:2-5- was in battle with the Philistines when he realized that he wasn't going to win this war. He asked his armor-bearer to kill him before the Philistines could capture him, but his side-kick couldn't do it, so Saul fell onto his own sword.

King Saul's Armor-bearer- after he saw his King suicide in front of him, he followed suit and fell onto his own sword, killing himself right next to his master.

Judas Iscariot-Matt.27:3-5- After selling Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, Judas could not live with himself and was filled with remorse. Her returned the money paid to him, then hanged himself.

7 deaths in the Bible caused by one's own hand. I have to wonder why God allowed these parts of the story into His book. Could it be that we have lessons to learn from these men's lives... and deaths?

These stories tell us that several of these men felt backed into a wall. They were afraid of being over-powered by the enemy. Afraid of what would happen once their lives were in the hands of those they most hated. Samson killed himself perhaps because he wanted to also kill his captors, the people who had taken his life and his sight... or perhaps he didn't think he could take anymore prison, anymore torture. Judas sinned, big time... I mean, big time. He sold the Savior! He was partly to blame for the brutal death of his mentor and friend! Saul's armor-bearer had witnessed his master, his King, and no doubt his friend, kill himself right before his eyes. Seeing Saul's last breath and lifeless body, he knew he could not go on either. I wonder if Saul's fear had gripped this boy as well. All too often, fear can be contagious, so much so, that one sees no other option but death.

I have found myself in the place of all of these people at one time or another in my lifetime. I've been paralyzed with fear, I've been afraid of being overtaken by the evil one. I've been placed into the hands of my enemy, and I have sinned... big time. Now I also have seen my father take his own life and leave behind only shattered pieces. I have been broken. I have been hopeless. I have been lost. I have felt like I could not go on. Moses, Elijah, Job, and Jonah all had the desire to take their own lives at one point. As a human, I'm not immune, and as a Christ-follower, lover of God, I'm not immune.

When life seems like too much to bear. When the pain is so great, I cling to one thing, I have hope. I can rest assure that no matter what lays in my path, God has a reason. He has my best interest in mind, even if I can not see it in my circumstances. I know without a shadow of a doubt that God is faithful in all circumstances. I know that He shows himself and His power in my weakness, and I know that He is love.

My point is this: through speaking the truth of suicide, by no longer making it the "unmentionable" death, we let others know that they are not alone. They are loved, and regardless of their pain, they have someone, somewhere, who loves them. The more we speak about the pain left behind by a suicide death, the more we let others know that their life is indeed worth it. Now that's something to talk about!

This is the kind of life you've been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so that you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step.He never did one thing wrong, not once said anything amiss. They called him every name in the book and he never said anything back. He suffered in silence content to let God set things right. He used his servant body to carry our sins so that we could be rid of sins, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. You were lost sheep with no idea of who you were or where you were going. Now you are named and kept for good, by the Shepard of your souls. 1 Peter 2:18-25