I am quite positive that many of us have felt burdened after watching the news, or seeing the injustices in our city, or talking to someone about a heavy topic and their response is outrageous… We can often leave these conversations feeling:
- anxiety,
- concern, or
- hopelessness.
More often than not, it feels like our world has become so divisive that we are left without encouragement to remain faithful. We may feel like we’ve lost sight of the good in the world.
I can’t help but relate to Asaph, an organizer and leader for the temple choirs in the days of David and Solomon, but also a prophet through his musical compositions.
He writes,
“For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.
“Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
“Therefore their people turn to them and drink up water in abundance. They say, ‘How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?’ This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
“Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.” (Psalm 73:3-14)
Maybe some of us have felt like Asaph. We are looking for encouragement to remain faithful. We wonder how evil people are still alive. How is it that they have gotten away with so many things and not been punished? It seems the people who are so wicked are living the life and have a free pass from what’s happening.
At times, it even feels it’s in vain to be good when we see that others who do evil get away with it. It almost looks as if the grass on the other side is greener.
But though we may feel like Asaph felt as he saw the injustices take place during his time, we must be quick to get back up from such thoughts and return our sight back to God. Asaph goes on to say, “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.” (Psalm 73:16-17)
We will not always have the answers to everything, but our job isn’t to understand everything. When we seek encouragement to remain faithful, let us instead enter into the presence of God. Not only at church, but in our homes, in our room, in our cars, and in every moment we can. When we stop to take our eyes off of what we see physically and we begin to look up toward God Almighty, we begin to really see.
For God says to us through the apostle Paul, “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit it will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people…” (Galatians 6:8-10)
In encouragement to remain faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ, do not become weary in doing good and following Him even if our leaders in church, in our state, and in our nation disappoint us. Keep being out on the sidewalk praying for the unborn. Keep being good to others regardless of where they stand. And as you do, be sure to keep your eyes on our King and Savior who is Mighty in Power, for we know that our faithfulness will have its reward.
Do not give up. Another life is sure to be saved, another abortion will close, we will see more abortion workers quit, and we will see one day every clinic shut down and abortion become illegal.
Devotional for Day 4
Intention: May the mystery of the Incarnation increase our zeal for defending life.
Scripture: Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” — Luke 1:30-33
Reflection: “God has assumed Humanity, joining it with Divinity, and kindled in men’s hearts new love of me.” These words were written by a Roman poet in the Fourth Century. He spent his life finding ways to express the greatest mystery of the world: the incarnation, in which God became man. The womb has been referred to as the “first home of the whole human race.” It is the place where life begins, where our stories start. In the womb the great men and women of history began their magnificent march through life. In the womb Divinity met humanity, and God the Son was born into the world. As one of the Fathers of the early church, St. Leo the Great, declared, “Within her spotless womb Wisdom built itself a house and the Word became flesh.” Recently, I was at the hospital for the birth of my fourth grandchild. Looking through the nursery window at the rows of newly born babies, I began to think of the great stories that would be written about these tiny lives. During his visitation with the Virgin Mary, the angel prophesied to Mary about the life of her child. Here in this hospital, I pondered, what would he say about each of these? Would they meet the one who also came from His mother’s womb to redeem the world and kindle our hearts afresh for God? I thanked God for each baby alive and prayed for each story yet to be written.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you have made the womb of each woman a very special place. Help us to hold fast to the sanctity of this first home of humanity, remembering the wonderful mystery, that God inhabited the womb of a young woman and came forth as the savior and deliverer of the world. We ask this in the Name of the one who came forth, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
