God’s Mandate

SCRIPTURE:  And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 ESV

THOUGHT: Here’s an interesting stat. Did you know that the U.S. has a net-zero population growth with one birth and one death every nine seconds? The only reason our population is growing at all is border crossings – one new migrant every 28 seconds. Sit with that for a minute and recall all the times you’ve heard since childhood that all our troubles are due to overpopulation.

The largest population in the world has long been China’s, and yet that population is also trending downward, so much so that the government of China is now incentivizing couples to have children rather than forcing abortion. But couples aren’t biting. It’s an uncertain world and the Chinese have learned to not want babies. India, which replaced China in 2023 as the world’s largest population has seen its birth rates plunge downward too, from five births per woman in the 1960s, to two in 2022. Russia’s birthrate is also trending down (all stats from U.S. Census Bureau and U.N. data).

I can’t help but wonder when the U.S. will begin to incentivize family and children?

Well, if that’s what you’re thinking will save us, here’s another interesting stat to ponder. April 2023 research published in Oxford University Press’ Human Reproduction Update concluded in alarm that male sperm count worldwide has fallen in half over the past five decades, and the pace of the decline has more than doubled since 2000. The study states, “data suggest that this world-wide decline is continuing in the 21st century at an accelerated pace. Research on the causes of this continuing decline and actions to prevent further disruption of male reproductive health are urgently needed.”

Perhaps you think this isn’t much of a devotional, and maybe you’re right. But wouldn’t a good devotional turn our hearts toward the Creator to intercede for his children, our children, and our children’s children? Wouldn’t a good devotional echo with God’s mandate rather than man’s? Wouldn’t it remind us of primary and foundational truths? And wouldn’t it drive us to our knees for answers?

PRAYER: Oh God, you mandated fruitfulness and multiplication of humans from the beginning of creation. And when you pronounced your curse due to rebellion, it wasn’t against the fruitfulness of the womb. It is our world that has done that. Forgive us and help us recover your mandate for flourishing and teach our children and their children to love your ways.