Blessed be the Lord.

This bicycle of mine was stolen just today. To keep it short, I locked it at a location I thought was secure for 4 hours, and when I returned, it was gone. Completely gone, professionally removed with its chain lock as well. Quite frankly, I was devastated. I invested in a dedicated set of front and rear lights, mounted my rear rack permanently, and swapped out the original saddle for something much more suited to regular commutes over 10km.

I loved it, and now it had been taken away from me - forcefully. This is not the first time I have had a bike stolen. My mind was ready with its jaded cynicism, ready to curse God for the 'calamity' befallen me. My heart, however, was not.

What has changed since my last loss of a bicycle? Much has, in fact. This one, as I have stated before in a previous post, was one granted by the Lord's favor. The hardest thing for me to do was to go to Buangkok to pick it up. Is this bike entrusted to me? Yes. Is it mine? Yes and No. For "the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it" (Psalm 24:1), and this one is no different.

For a little while, I was entrusted to own it. As with all the things I own, they are only mine for a season. While I have them and can use them to my will, I do not have the final say on them, just as I do not have final say over the course of my life. Also in a previous post, I stated that only God has the final say over my life. You can be sure I will pray to have it back! And if I tire of that, I will surely ask for God to grant me a new one. However, their fulfilment are not in my control. Instead, I surrender all control of the situation to Him, who loves me and cares for me.

Therefore, I also pray to have the attitude of Job, whose words resound in my heart in this circumstance - "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job 1:21) Honor from men holds great value, but pales in comparison to the esteem of the Lord, because verse 22 says "In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing."

This is the goal I press onwards to, knowing what I believe is true and that God is loving and just. And certainly, I pray that I may enjoy the favor that Job enjoyed because of the attitude he held throughout his long trial. Forty-one chapters later, Job is restored to his former riches and even greater! For the Lord esteems him who honors Him before men, even if it brings them tears and suffering. All suffering is only temporal, after all.

In summary, I will praise the Lord, whether in tears or in joy. Let His name be greatly praised in all my circumstances!