This coming Saturday, March 24th, a groundswell occurs across our country, as The March For Our Lives takes place, aimed to end gun violence. Given past blog posts, it won't surprise you, that I encourage us to support this vital effort. http://wwwpaulmundey.blogspot.com/2018/02/how-to-prevent-school-shootings.html
But yet another march occurred, earlier this year, on January 19th, The March For Life, aimed to end the violence of abortion.
Recently, a number of folks have commented to me, that they are open to a new discussion related to ending gun violence. But they are puzzled why we seem to downplay an equally important need: ending the violence of abortion.
Fair point.
And so, what follows is my attempt to give 'equal time' to that critical issue as well. For as I advanced in an earlier blog, we need to be consistent -- wholly pro-life -- not selectively pro-life.
https://wwwpaulmundey.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-it-really-means-to-be-pro-life.html
And so, what follows is my attempt to give 'equal time' to that critical issue as well. For as I advanced in an earlier blog, we need to be consistent -- wholly pro-life -- not selectively pro-life.
https://wwwpaulmundey.blogspot.com/2018/01/what-it-really-means-to-be-pro-life.html
For starters: have you noticed? We to live in a throw-away culture, not a forever culture. I mean most things today are viewed as expendable, disposable, easily tossed aside, especially if they no longer meet our needs.
Now sadly, that’s not only true of diapers, cans, fast-food wrappers, plastic jugs and other physical items -- but people. I mean if a spouse gets too wrinkly, pudgy and gray, our interest wanes, and before we know it, we’re tossing him or her aside. If grandma becomes too demanding, messy or loud, our tempers boil, and before we know it, we’re tossing him or her aside.
And if a baby is too much because it’s unplanned and unwanted, our needs trump everything, and before we know it, we’re tossing him or her aside.
Now sadly, that’s not only true of diapers, cans, fast-food wrappers, plastic jugs and other physical items -- but people. I mean if a spouse gets too wrinkly, pudgy and gray, our interest wanes, and before we know it, we’re tossing him or her aside. If grandma becomes too demanding, messy or loud, our tempers boil, and before we know it, we’re tossing him or her aside.
And if a baby is too much because it’s unplanned and unwanted, our needs trump everything, and before we know it, we’re tossing him or her aside.
But we must never toss aside any human life! For all of human life is sacred and precious. Why? Because all of human life is God-breathed. Remember the creation of human life in Genesis 2?
“…Then the Lord God formed…man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being…” (Genesis 2:7).
Pretty convicting! But in spite of all life being God-breathed life, we still disregard life, especially the youngest life. Babies, in particular, resulting from unwanted pregnancies, are tossed aside, aborted, in staggering numbers.
Why according to the National Right Life Committee, utilizing data from both the Guttmacher Institute and the Centers for Disease Control, since the legalization of abortion in 1973, there have been over 60,069,971 abortions performed in the United States. https://www.nrlc.org/uploads/communications/stateofabortion2018.pdf Alarming, especially in light of the sacred, God-breathed character of life! Is it any wonder that scripture admonishes:
Why according to the National Right Life Committee, utilizing data from both the Guttmacher Institute and the Centers for Disease Control, since the legalization of abortion in 1973, there have been over 60,069,971 abortions performed in the United States. https://www.nrlc.org/uploads/communications/stateofabortion2018.pdf Alarming, especially in light of the sacred, God-breathed character of life! Is it any wonder that scripture admonishes:
“Rescue the perishing; don’t hesitate to step in and help. If you say, “Hey, that’s none of my business,” will that get you off the hook? Some one is watching you closely, you know, someone not impressed with weak excuses.” (Proverbs 24:11-12, The Message).Wow, that sounds like God isn’t impressed with our excuses! And so I guess there is no excuse for not addressing the issue of abortion. And so what follows are some Action Steps, to address this vital, critical issue.
Action Step #1 -- Determine Without Apology, When Life Begins. This is the hottest part of the abortion debate, with many contending life does not begin at the beginning, at conception, but at some later stage.
But what does scripture declare? Scripture declares that life begins at the beginning. As Psalm 139 notes, O God
But what does scripture declare? Scripture declares that life begins at the beginning. As Psalm 139 notes, O God
“…you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb…your eyes saw my unformed body…” (Psalm 139:13; 15, emphasis added).Translated: life doesn’t begin as a baby is forming, but when a baby is still unformed – at conception. In Judges 13 when God’s angel appears to the wife of the Man of Zorah -- the angel declares:
“you are sterile and childless, but you are going to conceive and have a son…” (Judges 13:3).
We need to celebrate conception in new ways, for conception is an incredible miracle! For at conception a marvelous thing happened: five million life-seeds, commonly called sperm, all lined up at the ‘starting gate,’; then a signal was given, and they were off, racing down, a long tunnel toward a single egg. And then it happened -- you won -- your life-seed won! I mean the odds were five million to one that you’d not win, but you won; you won! And so, as Tony Campolo notes: “never call yourself a loser, for you’ve already beaten impossible odds!”
Such truth needs to be applied to every life, including life just-conceived. For even life just-conceived is already a winner, for life just-conceived has already beaten impossible odds! Underscoring that precious truth is key to grasping the tragedy of an aborted life.
Such truth needs to be applied to every life, including life just-conceived. For even life just-conceived is already a winner, for life just-conceived has already beaten impossible odds! Underscoring that precious truth is key to grasping the tragedy of an aborted life.
Action Step #2 -- Confess Our Need To ‘Be God, To ‘Take Matters Into Our Own Hands.’ For me a key element in the abortion debate, often overlooked, is our obsessive need to control all outcomes at any cost. I mean if something is not inconvenient, like an unwanted pregnancy, we tend to ‘take matters into our hands’ and toss aside the inconvenience.
But that’s utter arrogance! Life, including life just-conceived, is not in our hands, but God’s hands. As David notes,
Frankly, such truth is crucial – for as we fail to yield to God’s playbook -- an ultimate playbook -- life becomes futile creating a “boat-load” of heart-ache and consequences.
Common phenomena nowadays are speed cameras, those little silver boxes that now dot our landscape. Now please don’t misunderstand: I’m not a speed demon! But, on occasion, when life gets crazy, I do ‘take matters into my own hands,' and speed along anyhow! But have you noticed: there’s no way you can beat a speed camera; I mean they get you every time, sending along the finest high-resolution photos of your automobile and license plate, ever; I mean those photos are so good, they’re even suitable for framing! So I’ve decided just to give up, to slow down, to play by the ‘speed camera playbook,’ and stop taking matters into my own hands, even when life gets crazy!
But that’s utter arrogance! Life, including life just-conceived, is not in our hands, but God’s hands. As David notes,
Translated: life is not to be lived from my playbook – but God’s playbook, for God, is in control, we’re not!“…Everyday of my life was recorded in [God’s] book. Every moment was laid out [according to God’s sovereign plan] before a single day had passed…” (Psalm 139:16, NLT).
Frankly, such truth is crucial – for as we fail to yield to God’s playbook -- an ultimate playbook -- life becomes futile creating a “boat-load” of heart-ache and consequences.
Common phenomena nowadays are speed cameras, those little silver boxes that now dot our landscape. Now please don’t misunderstand: I’m not a speed demon! But, on occasion, when life gets crazy, I do ‘take matters into my own hands,' and speed along anyhow! But have you noticed: there’s no way you can beat a speed camera; I mean they get you every time, sending along the finest high-resolution photos of your automobile and license plate, ever; I mean those photos are so good, they’re even suitable for framing! So I’ve decided just to give up, to slow down, to play by the ‘speed camera playbook,’ and stop taking matters into my own hands, even when life gets crazy!
When an unwanted pregnancy occurs, life gets crazy! But please don’t’ take matters into your hands! Don’t speed ahead of God, tossing aside human life. For it’s impossible to beat God’s moral law, God’s sovereign rule, and consequences.
Action Step #3 -- Yield To God, Supporting The Sanctity of Life, Even During The Craziness Of Life. Again, life gets crazy when there’s an unwanted pregnancy; we must never minimize that reality. But we must also never minimize the opportunity even craziness affords to “play out plays” from God’s playbook, celebrating and advancing the sanctity of life. For as David notes, all of life is precious and holy, and so
“I praise you [O, God], for I am fearfully and wonderfully made [all of us, are fearfully and wonderfully made, whether just conceived, young, old, or somewhere in between. And so] wonderful are your works [O God] -- my soul knows it very well. (Psalm 139:14; ESV, emphasis added).
And so because we know such truth ‘very well,’ we do all we can to advance the sanctity of life, with the goal of healing all of life.
Frankly, that requires several things. For starters it requires candid, prayerful conversation whenever a woman’s life is in danger related to a pregnancy, because of medical complications or the incidence of rape; in such instances, godly counsel is crucial, from both physicians and pastors, as we strive to ‘play the right plays’ from God’s playbook. It is crucial this take place.
But overall the support of God’s people is crucial. Research now documents that abortion would decrease if God’s people were less critical and more supportive when an unwanted pregnancy occurs. A few suggestions:
Frankly, that requires several things. For starters it requires candid, prayerful conversation whenever a woman’s life is in danger related to a pregnancy, because of medical complications or the incidence of rape; in such instances, godly counsel is crucial, from both physicians and pastors, as we strive to ‘play the right plays’ from God’s playbook. It is crucial this take place.
But overall the support of God’s people is crucial. Research now documents that abortion would decrease if God’s people were less critical and more supportive when an unwanted pregnancy occurs. A few suggestions:
- 1) Offer support directing a mom or dad to an agency that supports women in bringing their babies to full term and birth. One excellent resource, from a Christian perspective, is CareNet https://www.care-net.org.
- 2) Lift-up the option of adoption. Currently, there is 1 infant adoption in the United States, for every 149 abortions. Yet, as American Adoptions notes, there are 36 couples eagerly awaiting to adopt, for every child placed in adoption. Translated: there are more children eagerly needed!
- 3) Love unconditionally; God never aborts us, His love never let's go, thus our love must never let go no matter the person or circumstance; never let go!
In October 2011, a moving thing happened in Mumbai, India: a name-changing ceremony for 285 unwanted girls took place. And for good reason: each of them was literally named Nakusa or Nakushi, which means unwanted in Hindi.
Sadly “Unwanted” is a common name for girls in India, since sons are more valued than daughters. But it gets worst. Girls are not only named unwanted, they are literally aborted at an alarming rate just because of their gender.
But the Mumbai name-changing ceremony challenged all that as 285 girls, wearing their best outfits, lined up to receive certificates boldly imprinted with their new names. And what new names they got; not just any names but confidant names, transforming names. Why one girl was renamed Prosperous – another girl was renamed Beautiful – another new girl was renamed Good – yet another girl was renamed Very Tough. And it made all the difference, as once tossed aside life, almost aborted life was now affirmed as precious life, holy and sacred!
Sadly “Unwanted” is a common name for girls in India, since sons are more valued than daughters. But it gets worst. Girls are not only named unwanted, they are literally aborted at an alarming rate just because of their gender.
But the Mumbai name-changing ceremony challenged all that as 285 girls, wearing their best outfits, lined up to receive certificates boldly imprinted with their new names. And what new names they got; not just any names but confidant names, transforming names. Why one girl was renamed Prosperous – another girl was renamed Beautiful – another new girl was renamed Good – yet another girl was renamed Very Tough. And it made all the difference, as once tossed aside life, almost aborted life was now affirmed as precious life, holy and sacred!
All of life is precious, holy and sacred!
And so where do you feel unwanted – tossed aside – aborted? You’re in luck, for a name changing ceremony is available. For the Creator God, we worship, wants to give us a fresh start, a new identity.
And so where do you feel unwanted – tossed aside – aborted? You’re in luck, for a name changing ceremony is available. For the Creator God, we worship, wants to give us a fresh start, a new identity.
Claim your fresh start -- your new identity! For you are not Unwanted. You are Prosperous – Beautiful – Good – Very Tough! In fact, no one is unwanted – whether just-conceived -- young, old -- or somewhere in between! For...
“…you created my inmost being [O God] -- you knit me together in my mother’s womb…your eyes saw my unformed body…” (Psalm 139 13; 15).
Claim that truth, for as you do, you’ll refrain from discarding life -- for in discarding life, you always lose something, of immense value.
Edward Morris recounts British playwright Enid Bagnold asking an opinonated woman, what advice she'd give to a twenty-three-year-old housewife who, having lost four children, found herself pregnant again by an abusive, alcoholic husband. "I would urge her to terminate the pregnancy," the woman replied. "Then," said Ms. Bagnold, "you would have aborted Beethoven." https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4975606
Though some details of Bagnold's tale are not precisely correct (Beethoven's mom lost two children not four; Beehovens father was cruel, but not abusively violent) -- his point is well taken. You never know the loss, when you fail to cherish life!
And so, so we must not, let personal convenience have the final say; we must let the sanctity of life have the final say. For it’s true: in the beginning
Edward Morris recounts British playwright Enid Bagnold asking an opinonated woman, what advice she'd give to a twenty-three-year-old housewife who, having lost four children, found herself pregnant again by an abusive, alcoholic husband. "I would urge her to terminate the pregnancy," the woman replied. "Then," said Ms. Bagnold, "you would have aborted Beethoven." https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4975606
Though some details of Bagnold's tale are not precisely correct (Beethoven's mom lost two children not four; Beehovens father was cruel, but not abusively violent) -- his point is well taken. You never know the loss, when you fail to cherish life! And so, so we must not, let personal convenience have the final say; we must let the sanctity of life have the final say. For it’s true: in the beginning
“…the Lord God formed…man from the dust of the ground -- and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life -- and the man became a living being…” (Genesis 2:7).A person of incredible value!
Thus, may we never toss aside any life, but honor all of life, beginning with life at the very beginning – celebrating that each of us is “…fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Psalm 139:14) by an incredible, Sovereign Creator – who never aborts us -- but rather -- greatly values us -- and deeply, wants us -- now and for eternity.
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