The Kingdom of God Devotional Guide - Wednesday, January 26

Scripture Reading: Psalm 139

Explanation: Sunday was national "Sanctity of Human Life Sunday." As Pastor Doug shared in his sermon, human life is sacred because God made us in His image. Psalm 139 expands this truth by celebrating how much God thinks about us, acts toward us, and cares for us. It is a Psalm worth meditating on whenever any doubt creeps into our minds about our own worth or the worth of others.

The lives of others who cross our paths should be especially sacred to us. In one sense, their lives are entrusted to our care for their well-being. This principle should hold true in an even more profound way the closer the relationship is. It works the opposite way under the rule of Satan. Cain, an agent of Satan's rule, expressed the sentiment of utter disrespect for the sacredness of human life when he rudely retorted to God's inquiry regarding Abel's whereabouts: "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Cain's words were self-condemning. By referring to Abel as "my brother", he showed awareness of the close relationship he had with Abel. But Cain's awareness did not come with a sense of responsibility. His answer back to God smacks of contempt for even the suggestion that he was somehow accountable for Abel's well-being.

Under the rule of the Lord Jesus, we are our brothers' keepers. The standard is actually even more demanding, since Jesus said we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we are accountable for the sacredness of the life of neighbors, then how much more our brothers!

One of the saddest realities of abortion centers on the choice of a mother to take the life of her unborn baby. It is the closest of human relationships. It carries with it every reasonable expectation of one person (the mother) respecting and even safeguarding the sacred life of another (the baby).

There are others in society entrusted to our care whose lives are often treated according to the values associated with Satan's rule: the elderly, the mentally ill and disabled, and the physically disabled. Too many are asking Cain's question about people with these kinds of special needs instead of recognizing them as the gifts from God that they are. Doug and I recently were talking about how grateful we are that the Lord has entrusted to our church several children with special needs. They are a gift from God! I believe the Lord is calling us to respond to them with profound love and respect, the kind that comes from our having values associated with God's Kingdom, the kind based upon their too being made in the image of God.

Reflection Questions: What might you and your family do differently to help an expecting mother in crisis? What might you do at church to show the love of Christ's Kingdom for the elderly or for someone else with special needs?