Good morning, brothers and sisters.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 4:17, “But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
You will recall the situation of the Israelite people in Egypt as Moses was about to be born. A new king arose who was threatened by their increasing numbers, so he decided to enslave them. But they continued to multiply, so he afflicted their enslavement rigorously, but to no avail. Perplexed as to what to do, I imagine he met with his council for ideas. Out of that came the notion to have the midwives kill the male babies as they were delivering them, but to let the girls live. However, the midwives feared God and chose to not murder the baby boys. Finally, the king was at his wits’ end. I imagine him conferring with his council and saying, “I appreciate the effort so far, but we’ve got to do something about these Hebrews and their growing numbers. The midwife scheme was a nice try, but it’s time to get serious.” So a voice chimes in and says, “How about we command them all to throw their own newborn sons into the river to drown them? That might work.” And the response, much like the insanity that stood defiantly before God during nine plagues that decimated his own land and people, was, “Now that’s a great idea.”
We might wonder how a path, a mind, a national consciousness could spiral down so fast and so far. We might wonder, but then we listen to the news and are reminded that our society is on a path that harkens back to very dark times. But thousands of years ago, even while God’s people were getting the worst of it, He stepped in and led His people up and out. We are not the first generation to see ridiculous decisions being made that go directly against God. And who’s to say that it’s not going to get worse? Such is the momentum that goes from slavery, to legalized medical manslaughter, to outright infanticide. To some people, somewhere, for some reason, it all makes sense. But don’t let the horror of the message shock you into despair. It might be another 400 years before deliverance comes, or it might be eternity that sets us free. But it shall come, and we should be spreading that message in His name, striving to take as many people with us as possible.
As we seek Him today, find your comfort and confidence in the nearness of Jesus and the faithfulness He has shown.
Have a terrific Wednesday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
