Mat 6:31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The Bali 9 has become Bali 7 with the execution of Andrew Chan, and Mayuran Sukumaran.

Andrew Chan was married to Febyanti Herewila on the eve of his execution as his final wish. The ceremony was conducted by David Soper, a Salvation Army minister. (unlike gays who would have no right to marriage even without prison bars).

Amongst the call for mercy, it is easy to forget their crimes being the ring leader to bring in 8.4kg of heroin drugs (AUD 4 million) into Australia.

The opinion of many friends including Indonesians were that they deserved it, as their crimes would have caused much harm.

My poorer friends were adamant that they had to die because they wanted a shortcut to riches. They were after a quick pay day.

I believe in God’s grace and mercy, and that the sentence should have been delayed at worst and commuted at best.

When we give mercy, we open the door for redemption. The deaths of Andrew and Myuran will not halt the drug trafficking which is intertwined with the web of corruption at all power levels in Indonesia.

They died singing the hymn Amazing Grace. They had received no grace from the authorities, but God’s grace in Jesus Christ will lead them home to a better place.

I am reminded that many of my gay friends often remarked casually how many times they tried committing suicide. I understand that they are suffering, yet life is precious.

In reflecting his life, Andrew had once remarked that

“Guess what runs through my head is about how precious life really”

“Suppose I am thankful that everyday I get to wake up”

On studying in Bible College, Andrew reminded us-

“I believe you’ve got to build yourself up to something, you’ve got to start some where”

In reality, life was over when he got caught and was sentenced to death. Yet where there is life, there is always hope.

Andrew brought us a message that although he was physically in jail, his life transcends beyond his prison bars. by having faith and hope in Jesus Christ. Ultimately, death has no victory because Jesus has already conquered death and is risen again so that we could rise to heaven when we die.

We live in a world where we plan too much ahead and worry about tommorow in what we would eat and where to stay.

We have forgotten, the precious thing is to live and to be greatful we are alive. And we live, one day at a time. We don’t live for tommorow but for today. God’s grace is sufficient for each day of our lives just as manna is given each day.

For many of us being gay is like a life sentence only that the prison bars is unseen. This is exemplified by love singapore insisting that gays be put in jail which is ironic because we are already in jail.

But we need to start living, and to start living as if we are not in jail and that the closets we are in holds no barrier for us. We start when we know that we are not alone, for God will give us His grace each day through Jesus Christ.