When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
(Psalm 8:3-4)
 
David, as he looked into the vast expanse of the heavens, marvelled at the beauty, splendor and majesty of the created world around him.  In comparison, his one life seemed insignificant and yet he understood the immeasurable value God places on every human life.
 
You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. 
(Psalm 8:5)
 
The Bible teaches that we are creatures made by God, in His image and blessed by Him and as such, we have incalculable worth.  And because God, who is the author of life places such incredible value on every human being, we too must value life. Upholding the truth of the sanctity of life is foundational to our faith and it speaks loudly into the world in which we live today; a world where life has been devalued, where the rights and choices of the individual have usurped the plans and purposes of the Creator.
 
If the only basis by which we value a life is how we feel or a perceived right to individual choice, we are on a slippery slope.  Without divine parameters in place giving nobility and worth to every life, from the moment we are conceived until we breath our last breath, the foundation for human dignity crumbles.  If it’s just about our own agenda, our right to choose, we are on shaky ground, especially in a world that has lost its moral compass.  Personal autonomy cannot serve as our foundation for our ethics, morality or theology.  We believe the laws that govern our morality come from a divine Law-giver, they are written on our hearts and given for the betterment of society.  When it comes to any perceived right to end a life, either at the beginning of life or at the end of life, man does not have the final say in these matters, God alone does.
 
For those of us who belong to Christ, who walk by faith, we have to ask, ‘what is our primary purpose as we live out our days on earth?’  The Apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth:  Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
(6:19-20) 
 
We are to honor God, even if doing so involves pain and suffering as our days draw to close.  If we believe God is Sovereign, that He is the author of life; that He has numbered are days, each of us must ask, am I willing to surrender my life to God and allow Him to determine when and how I will leave this world?
 
When a diagnosis of a serious illness comes, such that pain and suffering may be in the offering, do I trust God’ grace will be sufficient, so that I could honor God with every ounce of strength He provides until I breathe my last breath, knowing that my passing from this life leads to life eternal in heaven.
 
Dr. John Dunlop as wisely observed:  As a Christian physician dedicated to preserve life, I believe strongly that when there is genuine hope to recover an acceptable quality of life, we should fight death as an enemy and pursue health with all the wisdom, strength, and technology that God allows.  At the same time, when death is inevitable, let us view death as a defeated enemy and not resist it.  Let us change gears stop fighting, accept it, and thank God for the hope we have in Jesus
 
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  (Philippians 1:21)
 
When our bodies have failed us and we are in our final days, courageously hanging on in faith, clinging to the hope that is ours in Christ, the promise of God is that He will walk with us.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me. (Psalm 23:4 - NKJV)
 
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.  (2 Corinthians 12:9)
 
As we lean into our faith in God and trust in His sustaining grace, we give a powerful testimony as to what we believe about the sanctity of life and about the mercy and kindness of our heavenly Father.  Our trust in God sends a powerful message to our family and friends, to those inside and outside the community of faith about the value of human life and about the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus.  And such faith brings honor and glory to our God!
 
May we at Valley support and encourage one another as we journey together, standing firm on the historical truths of our faith as found in His Word; and may we be a voice of truth and grace in world that has lost its way.  May we people of people compassion and understanding for those on the path of suffering; and in all we do, may we be the presence of Christ for all to see.

In our current teaching series, We Believe, we are reminding ourselves of the foundational truths of our faith, those core doctrinal beliefs that guide our lives.  There is perhaps no truth more fundamental than the belief in a Creator and Sovereign Ruler of this universe.
 
The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalm 103:19)
 
On one level we understand and accept that it is God’s prerogative govern, to control that which He has created; to rule and reign, to do as He purposes, according to His good and wise and holy ways.
The Psalmist says, The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth  (Psalm 135:6).  We understand that if God is not in control, if He is not sustaining this world, it would cease to exist; we affirm He is all-powerful and all-wise, the Almighty.  And we take great encouragement in knowing our God is taking care of this world; that there is One who is in control.
 
But on another level, the truth of God’s sovereignty raises question and at times troubles us, particularly as we wrestle with the consequences of living in a fallen world; the presence of evil, the tragedies and atrocities and injustices we see all around us. We struggle at times, because we wonder, how can a loving, caring God allow these things to happen.  We struggle when we cannot find answers to the troubling aspects of our own lives.
 
I remember standing in the emergency room as the doctor spoke to the parents of a 4-year-old: “I’m sorry, we did all we could”.  How do explain the love of God in that setting?  How do you explain God’s rule of this world to the mother of a 24-year-old who was found murdered?  How was I going to help his friends make sense of all this at a memorial service a few days later?
 
Even those of us who walk by faith find it hard at times to trust the One we know to be sovereign, especially when the circumstances of our lives are hard to understand why these hard things come into our lives.  I remember wrestling with God in prayer when our son spent 21 days at Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto.  I remember how painful it was to tell my sister that our dad had taken his own life; I will never forget the look of sadness on her face.  I’ve seen that look too many times at the bedside or graveside and I understand how deeply we feel the tension of seeking to hold on in faith while sometimes wondering why did this have to happen?
 
I suppose this side of heaven, we will never find a completely satisfactory answer to the deep and troubling aspects of life.  But if I hold on to the truth that God is still on His throne, that He is the Sovereign Ruler of this world and my life, then I can find peace and security in a sometimes dark and scary world; even if my questions remain unanswered.
 
Because I know God is the Creator and Sovereign Ruler of all, that the One who upholds the universe, holds me in the palm of His hand, the One who guides the stars, also guides my life, I can put my trust in Him.  What’s the alternative?  If God is not in control, who is?
 
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)
 
As for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge. (Psalm 73:28)
 
My eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge.  (Psalm 141:8)