Choose life

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him. For the LORD is your life... –Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a (NIV)

These words of Moses to God’s people were part of a larger admonition not to adopt the practices of their neighbors, one of which was to sacrifice their children to false gods.

When considering abortion, there is a progression of four questions that must be dealt with. First, is it human? Science and medicine agree that the cells attached to the wall of the uterus after conception are indeed human – they cannot reasonably be classified as anything else. Second, is it living? It is indeed growing, developing, changing rapidly as it moves toward survival independent of the mother’s body.

If those questions are answered in the affirmative, we have a baby. The third question now becomes relevant. Is there a circumstance where it is right to destroy an innocent human life? Asked differently, are there pre-born human beings that should not be preserved, protected, and given every opportunity to live? This is the point where people get nervous. A yes answer forces us to define those conditions, while a no answer opens us up to responsibilities that are potentially uncomfortable, inconvenient, and expensive.

Last weekend I attended a men’s retreat where I met a young man named Jordan. Jordan is in his early 20’s. He has Down’s Syndrome. The last night of the retreat, Jordan spoke to the assembly of 60 or so men gathered for worship. He was glad he had decided to attend the retreat and he thanked everyone for treating him with kindness. Then he said, “I have Down’s Syndrome. There are some things I can’t do. But I love Jesus. And I love y’all. Y’all are my brothers God gave me – you’re my family in Christ.”

This week I had opportunity to pray for a young man who is awaiting the birth of a child he knows will die within hours of being born. Doctors advised to terminate the pregnancy. He and his wife refused. They are committed to honoring this life that God created, brief though it may be, trusting in His sovereignty, relying on Him for comfort and healing, with a view toward a heavenly reunion.

The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which limited states’ authority to regulate abortion, may be overturned as early as this summer. This would be an answer to many prayers, and it will also be yet another very divisive issue within our culture. I am praying for our nation.

I pray specifically for governmental leaders to have the wisdom and courage to do the right thing, as this battle shifts back to the states. I pray that the lies of the enemy would be exposed and repudiated. I pray for revival in our land. I pray for the people of God to be willing and able to step into the gap for families facing unplanned pregnancy – that fathers and mothers would find the church to be a place of safety, grace, forgiveness, and friendship, as Christian men and women provide counsel, mentorship, and support. I pray for the souls of those precious little ones, that they would know their immeasurable value to the Father and live to honor Him. And I pray for those who have had or facilitated an abortion – that they would be introduced to the God who provides healing, forgiveness, and redemption.

The fourth question comes into play if the answer to question three was yes. Once we have established that there are conditions under which it is right and reasonable to exterminate a human life, which class of individuals will we go after next?

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. –Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

Resources:
Methods of abortion at varying developmental stages
99 Balloons - Eliot Mooney story
Convoy audio, April 2018, Jeremy Waterhouse story