I Refuse to Be Comforted

Daily Reading:  Matthew 2 

A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more. (Matthew 2:18)

Devotional Thought: When the wise men of Matthew 2 inquired of Herod where the Christ was to be born, he did a little investigating and told them to go the Bethlehem to find the Christ and then return with word so that he, too, could worship him.  When the wise men went home by another route, Herod was furious!  He ordered the murder of all the children in that vicinity who were under two.  And the cry of bereft mothers filled the air. 

This is the second time in scripture that there is a vast conspiracy of murdering innocent babies.  Moses was born to be a deliverer of God’s people, but Pharaoh would have nothing of it!  He wanted the deliverer dead.  In order to do accomplish that, he would stop at nothing – even if it meant the murder of innocent children.  Upon the birth of Jesus, Satan used another despotic and cruel ruler to try to stamp out The Deliverer.  Satan planted thoughts of fear, doubt, jealousy, and insecurity in Herod’s heart and used him as a weapon against the purpose of God.  But, just as God protected the child Moses, so he kept Jesus safe. 

I wonder how many potentially productive citizens were murdered by Pharaoh and Herod.  Satan was not able to kill the deliverer, but he did accomplish a secondary goal of eliminating others who would contribute to society and the good of humankind. 

The hope of our world rests in our children.  But, Satan has planted insecurity, fear and doubt into our minds and hearts.  I wonder how many deliverers – men and women of liberation, science, medicine, industry, and character – have been swept away with the torrent of death called "choice."  Are we weeping for our children? 

Prayer: Babies unplanned.  Babies unwanted.  Babies unsafe.  Babies unborn.  Lord, we weep for these babies.  May the Light of life shine upon them.  May the love of God protect them.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 83:9-18

9 Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,

10 who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12 who said, "Let us take possession for ourselves of the pastures of God."

13 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.

14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,

15 so may you pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane!

16 Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD.

17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace,

18 that they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.