Wednesday, April 17
Maintain a clear conscience before God and men.—Acts 24:16.
Many of the choices we make regarding our health and medical treatment are rightly determined by our Bible-trained conscience. (1 Tim. 3:9) When making decisions and discussing them with others, we do well to apply the principle recorded at Philippians 4:5: “Let your reasonableness become known to all men.” When we are reasonable, we do not become overly concerned with our physical health. We love and respect our brothers and sisters, even if the decisions they make are different from ours. (Rom. 14:10-12) We show our gratitude to Jehovah, the Source of life, by safeguarding our life and by giving him our best. (Rev. 4:11) For now, we must deal with sicknesses and calamities. But this is not the life our Creator intended for us. Soon he will give us everlasting life without pain and death. (Rev. 21:4) In the meantime, how good it is to be alive and to serve our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah! w23.02 25 ¶17-18
Thursday, April 18
Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.—Dan. 5:28.
Jehovah has clearly demonstrated his supremacy over “the superior authorities.” (Rom. 13:1) Consider three examples. Pharaoh of Egypt enslaved Jehovah’s people and repeatedly refused to release them. But God set them free and drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea. (Ex. 14:26-28; Ps. 136:15) King Belshazzar of Babylon held a feast and “exalted [himself] against the Lord of the heavens” and “praised gods of silver and gold” instead of Jehovah. (Dan. 5:22, 23) But God humbled that arrogant man. On “that very night,” Belshazzar was killed and his kingdom was given into the hands of the Medes and the Persians. (Dan. 5:30, 31) King Herod Agrippa I of Palestine had the apostle James killed and then imprisoned the apostle Peter, with the intention of doing away with him. But Jehovah prevented Herod from carrying out his plan. “The angel of Jehovah struck him,” and he died.—Acts 12:1-5, 21-23. w22.10 15 ¶12
Friday, April 19
I will listen to you.—Jer. 29:12.
As we read about how Jehovah cared for those who were loyal to him in the past, our hope will grow ever stronger. Everything in God’s Word was “written for our instruction, so that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4) Meditate on how Jehovah has kept his promises. Consider what God did for Abraham and Sarah. They reached the age when they could not have children. Yet, God promised them that they would have a child. (Gen. 18:10) How did Abraham react? The Bible says: “He had faith that he would become the father of many nations.” (Rom. 4:18) Even though from a human perspective the situation appeared hopeless, Abraham was confident that Jehovah would fulfill His promise. That faithful man was not disappointed. (Rom. 4:19-21) Such accounts teach us that we can always rely on Jehovah to fulfill his promises. w22.10 27 ¶13-14