P. S. From the Sermon this past Sunday, December 17, 2017

When you preach, there is so much more you want to say and reveal from what you have seen but are prevented due to time restrictions.  So, let me share something from the Genesis 4 passage that spoke to me.

First, let me say I have never had to deal with a murder in my family.  I can not image the pain a family goes through if someone has taken the life of a family member. 

It is hard enough to lose a family member or friend due to sickness or an accident, but for someone to purposefully take another's life leaves a family with not only the loss of a precious life, but the anger toward a person who would be so cold-blooded to do this.

But Genesis 4 spoke to me and I believe speaks to families and friends of those who have experienced such.

God tells Cain (who had murdered his brother, Abel) in verse 10 "Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!" 

God heard the blood cry for justice from the ground of Abel. The murder was private.  Maybe Cain thought nobody would ever know what happened.  Would he try to cover it up like Joseph's brothers would later in Genesis?  What would he say to his mom and dad?  Would the "truth" ever be revealed?  Would justice ever done for Abel's life?

But WOW - God saw and hears the cry of justice!!!!

In America, we have "The Lady of Justice" with a blindfold representing impartiality.  The ideal is our justice system is to apply the law without regard to wealth, power, or any other status.

Over and over again in the Old Testament, God and the prophets pleaded for leaders and judges who were just and truthful.

This is the "ideal."  But due to absolute truth not always being known and the frailty of humanity (even the best of us), true justice may never happen in this life.

But take heart...we have a God who sees all in absolute truth.  AND the blood of the victim never stops crying out for justice until justice is done.  Even in the life to come.

Then one other note.  What about those who literally "have no voice."  Those who are murdered at the hand of money-craved doctors, uncaring mothers, weak fathers and wicked politicians.  The sixty million babies killed due to the legalization of abortion in America alone since 1973 are crying out for justice.  And God hears and will act.  (Look here for more information about the number of abortions.)

In fact, God is already acting.  We see it in increased crime in our streets, anger in our hearts, and more disfunction in our government.  But the final reckoning has not come.  While these babies are in the sweet arms of God, all unrepentant of the sin of abortion will be dealt with eventually in truth and justice by an angry God. 

(Psalm 106:35, Deut. 19: 10, 13; 21:8-9; Proverbs 6: 17; Isaiah 59:7;  Jeremiah 22:3, 17)

For God still hears the cry of innocent blood.

But one last note...God still hears the cry of innocent blood - the blood of His innocent Son.  The blood of Jesus still cries out, "There is healing in my death.  Healing for your souls.  Healing for your bodies.  I died so you may live.  Come and be washed clean in my blood."

Even if you have had an abortion, God can forgive.  Even if you have killed someone, God can forgive.  For in truth, we all killed Jesus.  And yet Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23: 34)

"Whosoever may call on the name of the Lord shall be saved." 

Thankful we have a God who hears the cry of innocent blood.