January 29, 2016: Every Creature Beautiful

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2016 - Day 29

Devotional Song:  … GO TO THIS LINK …        …  Please take the time to take in a video of Ray Stevens singing his hit song …  Everything Is Beautiful,  expressing the truth that all of God’s creatures and his children are beautiful in His eyes.

Highlight Passage:   1st Kings 4: 34 [NKJV] …
34 And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon.. 
 … Solomon, the wisest of all.
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Highlight Context – 1st Kings 4: 29-34 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK  …  
… Solomon became the wisest man on earth in his day.
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Reference Passage #1 - 1st Kings 10: 21-23 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
 … Solomon brought exotic animals to his court from the far east.

Reference Passage #2 - Proverbs 12: 10 [NKJV] …
10 A righteous man regards the life of his animal, … but the ender mercies of the wicked are cruel. 
… David’s son, Solomon, also knew His God would direct His steps.

Reference Passage #3 - Matthew 19: 14 [NKJV] …
10 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to ME, and do not forbid them, … for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 
… Jesus was pretty clear on how we should treat our children, wasn’t He?

My Journal for Today:  Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Mart DeHaan, related a story about the development of Chester Zoo in England. He wrote: June Williams was only 4 when her father bought 7 acres of land to build a zoo without bars or cages. Growing up she remembers how creative her father was in trying to help wild animals feel free in confinement. Today Chester Zoo is one of England’s most popular wildlife attractions. Home to 11,000 animals on 110 acres of land, the zoo reflects her father’s concern for animal welfare, education, and conservation. 

God’s word does point us, as God’s highest creation, to take care of God’s other, lower, creations, … the animals. Solomon was touted as the wisest of all in God’s kingdom in his time; and he obviously had a penchant for animals, as he imported wild beasts from the far east to his court (see 1st King 10:22). And he also wrote in his Proverbs that man was to be kind to animals (clearly in Prov. 12:10).

Yes, it is true that mankind should be the care takers for the animal kingdom, because they are part of God’s kingdom. However, it’s interesting to me that many who are animal activists, crusading for animal rights in P.E.T.A. (i.e., People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) often are the most rabid people to demonstrate for retaining abortion rights. …

So, what’s wrong with that picture, may I ask? 

For sure, we should treat animals with respect and kindness, as they do in the Chester Zoo in England; but common, folks; … if we’re passing laws, as we should, to protect the fertilized eggs of Bald Eagles, should we not also be passing laws to protect the fertilized eggs of human beings as well? Jesus said, [see Matt. 19:14] that we should not stand in the way of our children coming to Him. Well, to me a fertilized embryo in the womb is a “CHILD,” and we should not be standing in the way of those children coming to Jesus by aborting them.

Just a thought … in accord with God’s word, I believe.

My Prayer Today:  Heavenly Father, … Forgive us, in this culture of death, LORD, for forbidding so many children from coming to You. Amen

Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.