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If Mark and I spend any time watching television, it’s often a vet show or something else on Animal Planet. We just find God’s creation so fascinating and we love to see His handiwork on display in so many creatures around the world.
The other night we were watching The Secret Life of the Zoo, a great show. On that episode a new little elephant was being born and the staff was eagerly awaiting its arrival. It was a new mother and they weren’t sure she would take to caring for the new calf. She often displayed unusual behavior in the pack and they were hopeful she would fall into the role of mother once the calf arrived. We learned a lot about the familial behaviors and the relational bonds of the elephants. It’s truly fascinating. Some of the other female elephants stood with the new mother and comforted her through her labor. Even a young elephant stayed close to the mother laboring, often getting in the way. When the elephant calf was born the mother moved away probably 10-12 feet while it lay there lifeless on the ground. The staff, watching by camera, held their breath and wondered if they should intervene. But then, the calf moved and the mother came running over and did what elephant mothers instinctually do, hovered over it, tending to it. Everyone was rooting for the life of this little calf. The next morning, the staff came out in number to watch the mother and baby emerge from the holding area into the daylight. Some were emotional. It was a beautiful thing. Vets often say that when a baby is stillborn or something tragic happens at birth, the mother will often be depressed for long periods of time. They will search for their little one. They will mourn.
Animals do this. So amazing.
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There’s nothing more beautiful than new life. Erma Bombeck wrote a piece called “If I Had My Life to Live Over” and in it she spoke of carrying a child. I love what she said, “Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy and complaining about the shadow over my feet, I’d have cherished every minute of it and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was to be my only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.”
What a miracle!
I never would have imagined there would be a way for the enemy to steal what is seemingly the most beautiful, most natural and fierce affection created by God – the love of a mother for her child. Yet, he has done it.
When you look up motherly on Thesaurus.com here’s what you find…
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PINIMAGEWhat has happened to us?!? Are we able to step back and reason regarding the care and protection we offer to mere animals while killing our own little ones? Have we fallen in a trance?
Oh how tragic that Satan has replaced our love for a child with the love of self.
How unnatural. I never would have believed it. Not a mother’s love! He might convince us of a lot of things. But this?!? There is evil in this world. There is an enemy of truth, of light and of life…an enemy of God, and he mockingly deceives and destroys those he ensnares. The trap is so immense, so widespread, and so absolutely deadly.
Some have asked, “HOW! How can we be so barbaric?!?! How can we not see the wickedness in our hearts? How can women dress up in fine clothes and put on their pretty jewelry and stand in support of the murder of our very own babies. Smiling, clapping. Shouldn’t this be a time for black funeral clothes? For sackcloth? For mourning? For crumpling into a heap on the floor and wailing in deep sadness?
This tragic state of affairs points to a much deeper issue in the hearts of mankind.
Today, while spending some time with God, I found myself in 1 John chapter 1.
I want to share some insights that reveal our true problem and the hope we can cling to…
5This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:1-10
First of all, I want to point out that what John is conveying here is a message from Jesus Himself. In the earlier verses of the chapter, John tells the reader, “I know the One who existed from the beginning. I have seen Him with my own eyes and touched Him with my own hands. HE is the Word of Life.” He goes on to say in verse two, “This One who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen Him.”
John establishes that, not only does Jesus Promote life and Give life, but He is Life. What a great Savior and Lord! John tells the reader in verse four, “We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.”
This is where we pick up in verse five. Jesus has given John a message to share with us. Jesus, God in the flesh, has a message. We all need to listen closely. There’s good news and bad news.
I’m going to start with the bad news from the passage I read today by pointing out three problems.
The first problem: Anyone who has not stepped into a relationship with God through Jesus is living in spiritual darkness.
Job 12:24-25 says of God, He deprives the earth’s leaders of reason, and makes them wander a trackless wasteland. They grope in darkness with no light;He makes them stagger like drunkards.
Jesus Himself said in John 3:16-21, 16“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.18“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
Mankind walks in darkness. God sent Jesus to set us free from it.
The second problem: There are those who walk in darkness and claim that they have no sin.
1 John 1:8 says, They are only fooling themselves and not living in the truth.
This is why, when you look at society and all that seems so out of control right now, people can say, “What’s up is down.” And “What’s right is wrong.”
Isaiah 5:20-21 says of those who reject God’s truth, What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.
I don’t have to add anything here to what scripture says. It’s sobering.
The third problem: When we claim to have no sin, when we defend and celebrate our wicked actions and hearts, we call God a liar.
1 John 1:10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.
So we have a great problem. The darkness seems overwhelming. We, as a nation, have rejected God.
BUT FRIEND, NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, THERE IS HOPE! The darkness will never overcome the Light. (John 1:4-5)
This passage in 1 John also tell us some very good news.
First, When we accept what Christ did for us on the cross – to grant us salvation and pull us out of the darkness and deceit of the enemy – God’s light shines on our hearts and lives and we see the truth.
In John 8:31-32 Jesus tells those who embrace His message of Truth,“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”
Second, our freedom binds our hearts with others who have been made free. God does this for us by revealing truth to us. Truth unifies. Light draws us out of darkness and draws us together.
Our nation has never before seemed so divided. What brings us together? Definitely not the media. Definitely not the works of men. Definitely not politicians. Definitely not facebook. The Bible says that when we walk in God’s light we have fellowship one with another.
Third, God has given His light to those who will come to Him through Christ. Yet, He knows that we will go on sinning – we are still prone to wander. So, God made provisions for us.
1 John 1:9 says, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
We confess our sin and He forgives, ever leading us in the truth. Day by day, we look to Him for truth. We confess our need. And He walks with us.
Let’s look at 1 John 1:6-7 again, “We are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”
Jesus said in John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
Friend, are you willing to acknowledge the darkness in your own heart? God loves you. He offers you hope. He wants to free you from the darkness of your sin and the deception of the enemy. And He not only calls us to Himself. He forgives ALL our sin. He gives us His light. You too can walk in His light.
I am praying for you.
And friend, if you walk in the light, if you are no longer walking in darkness, understand that only God can set free those who are in bondage to the lies of the enemy.
Only God, who is Light, can free them from the darkness. Let us be diligent to confess our own sins and walk in obedience to God and LET. US. PRAY.
LET. US. PRAY.
1 Timothy 2:1-6 says, I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.
Oh, Lord. Please show us mercy. I pray the words of Psalm 79:8b Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair. Thank you for loving us even though we were dead in our sins. Thank you for not leaving us in darkness. Thank you for making a way for us, through Jesus, to be set free. By Your mercy, please help others out of darkness. Reveal the lies of the enemy to the hearts of men and women. Shine Your light in this dark world. Our hope is in You alone. In Jesus Name, Amen.
