A cry had reached the ears of the Lord God Almighty; a vexing, piercing cry.

It appeared to be coming from the earth, a blood-soaked spot of ground—the field in which two brothers had been working.

The Lord did not turn away. He came immediately to the one who had done such a thing.  

A man had killed his brother in cold blood. One made in God’s likeness.

Sin and falleness had already banned mankind from the heavenly garden that was designed just for them. A perfect place it was, and a self-watering garden of delights. The fruits were lucious and abundant. Only one tree was not to be touched inside the flourishing orchard.

But, the woman ate the forbidden fruit and gave it to her husband and he ate. Adam amd Eve fell into sin’s dark domain. Their spiritual eyes were opened, able to discern both good and evil.

Evil grasped them...clutched their pure untainted hearts. It stained them and separated them from their God who would walk with them in the garden during the cool of the day.

Their eldest son, Cain, would again reap the bitter fruit of sin. His hatred and jealousy of Abel was a by-product of his fallen nature. Hatred had quickly turned to murder. He lifted up his heel and took the life of his one and only brother. 

The taste of the verboten fruit was recalled; bitter morsels and poisonous drink in Cain’s mouth.

The tempter stood close by; plotting and watching as he wrung his hands. He had deceived mankind. But, he would not be fully satisfied until he had their offspring in his grasp. His victory was sure the moment their firstborn son had fallen into the darkest pit—when he shed innocent blood. 

His destructive lies had worked. “Did God really say...” said the evil one when he circled Eve.

He had destroyed their relationship with God and the paradise they lived in was gone forever. 

Now, he had ruined their two sons. The serpent of old was content that his devious plan had brought such...pleasing results.

God asked, “Where is you brother, Abel?”

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain replied.

The Lord said,  “What have you done? I hear your brother’s blood crying to me from the ground!”

One thousand years would pass between the time of Adam and his righteous descendant, Noah. He would build an ark to escape God’s judgment of the sinful world. Bloodshed and violence had again captured God’s attention. The populated world had become a dark and desperate place.

God not only saw man’s sin and deprived state, but his need for a savior. He set a plan in place; sixty-two generations from Adam;  one who would usher in righteousness and make the atonement for sin. His was the offering for all time and for all people. His name:  Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Only by Him could mankinds’ fallen nature be rectified. 

*****

She was beautiful on the outside, she had won a beauty contest when she was eighteen. Talented, bright and hopeful she once was. 

My husband and I were standing near the front of our church, offering altar counseling and prayer on a typical Sunday morning. The worship was continuing as many came forward with needs.

The former beauty queen came to me and grasped my hands. Her eyes were haunted and tear-filled. I could tell she hadn’t slept in weeks, possibly longer.

“How can I pray for you,” I asked. She lowered her voice and asked if we could talk in private. I agreed and we decided to meet at my home later in the week. Whatever it was...was killing her.

She arrived promptly at the appointed time. I offered her coffee as I welcomed her and tried to put her at ease. She noticed my son’s school photos sitting on the kitchen counter.

“May I,” she said as she reverently touched the packages.

“Of course,” I replied. 

“All these blonde boys...are yours?”  Her voice cracked when she spoke. 

It was obvious she wasn’t  paying me a social call and began to cry almost as soon as we sat down. I just listened for about a half an hour. She told me how she was unable to sleep and when she finally nodded off, she heard a baby crying. The problem was...she had no children.

We finally reached the part in the conversation where she had said everything...except for the most important thing.

I asked her a personal question. “Have you ever had an abortion?”  She broke down, shaking and sobbing uncontrollably. I held her for a long, long time.

The spirit of God moved over this young woman like nothing I had ever seen before.

I heard her specifically ask God to forgive her for the murder of her unborn child. She promised to value any life the Lord would graciously give her if only given another chance. 

She and her husband wanted a child, but so far had not been able to conceive. Deep down, she thought she did not deserve to be a mother. She had thrown away the chance and was not sure there was ever going to be another one offered. 

I prayed with her and we asked for another chance to be a mother. A second chance from the merciful God we can turn to when we have sinned and ask for forgiveness.

She was finally able to forgive herself after that day. God had done his work; sin and falleness had prevailed no longer.

This young lady changed in the months after we met. I will never forget the sight of her with a rounded belly; her hands laying gently upon the unborn babe—stroking as she whispered sweet things.

She also volunteered at a Christian pregnancy crisis center, and was able to pray with others who had walked a similar path. She no longer heard babies crying at night, other than her living, breathing children God had given her in the second chance.