Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
"Neither Man nor Woman"
Apr. 7, 2018
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
~ Galatians 3:28 (ESV)
Do you know what you were doing on Monday, February 19, 2018?
I don't, but the residents of the Nigerian community of Dapchi do. On that day, terrorists from Boko Haram entered their village and kidnapped 110 schoolgirls. In many ways, it was an instant replay of the attack in 2014 when 276 young women were spirited away from a boarding school in the town of Chibok.
Of that number, about 100 were never returned.
This time it appears things are different. Because of some outside help and political intervention, Boko Haram returned most of the girls to Dapchi. The residents, who were hiding in their homes or had fled into the jungle, watched as nine vehicles unloaded the girls in the center of town. Before they left, the terrorists gave only one order.
Can you guess what that order was?
In 100 years I would never have been able to figure it out. What the terrorists told the frightened members of the community was this: "Don't ever put your daughters in school again." In Hausa, the native language, they said, "Western education is forbidden."
The command makes little sense until you realize that for the terrorists "Western education" also includes information about Jesus Christ, God's Son, the Savior of the world. Learning about Jesus causes two very big problems for these supporters of ISIS.
1. The girls find out that Jesus was sent into the world to seek and save the lost. He carried the sins of every man, woman, and child, and bestows forgiveness on all who are brought to faith by the Holy Spirit. The day will come when these young girls will become Christian mothers, and Boko Haram doesn't want the Lord's message of salvation being passed down to another generation.
2. These girls will also find out that they are not second-rate citizens in the Lord's kingdom. They do not become viable human beings only because they are married to a Muslim man. They know that the Christ lived, suffered, died, and rose for them, even as He did for their brothers and everyone else they know.
In Galatians 3:28, the apostle Paul said it clearly: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
The universal love of the Lord for every member of this damned and dying world is a truth everyone should cling to. We should hold fast to it because it is the only way by which any of us can be forgiven and saved.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, first we give thanks to You that these girls have been returned to their families We pray that You will keep them and all of our children safe from the physical attacks of Satan's forces. At the same time, we ask that our children may hold fast to the love of the Savior who has redeemed them at the cost of His own life. This I ask in the Savior's Name. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by One News Now on March 21, 2018. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: click here.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Do you know what you were doing on Monday, February 19, 2018?
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