In the past couple of weeks, I’ve gotten to hold my 11-month old grandson (from my elder son), as well as show on the church screens an ultrasound picture of my 10-week-old grandchild (from my younger son).They are both equally babies. Whether a child is planned or unplanned (as I was); whether wanted or not; whether viable or not; it is deserving of the right to life.
The night before the election, many of us filled two large rooms at church to pray-especially focusing on defeating Proposal 3 in Michigan which goes far beyond restoring legalized abortion-on-demand which Roe v. Wade had done nationally.
The morning of the election, I was reading in Isaiah 44:2: “This is what the Lord says–he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid….” People need to see that God creates all humans in His image from the moment of conception when a new separate person is formed. But at this point, our culture does not respect the right to life. Of course, there are rare difficult circumstances when it comes to rape or when the life of the mother is endangered. Valid legal arguments can be made for these exceptions. But that’s not what this is really about, is it?
The night of the election, I posted this on Facebook: “Latest Election Results: Jesus is still Lord & it’s not up for a vote.” Win or lose, He is still on the throne & we are citizens of an eternal victorious Kingdom! Long ago in Psalm 2, King David questioned: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord…He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision” (Ps. 2:1-4). That goes for all those who vote in democracies too. Our faith is not in politicians & elections do not overrule Him.
Still, the morning after Proposal 3’s passage, many Christians were deflated & disgusted. One example is a lady who emailed me: “I went to bed last night peaceful & hopeful, to waking up nearly numb. How do we move forward after this? …I’m angry. I’m sick to my stomach.”
I understand the feeling. We’ve gone from the frying pan into the fire. Our state is now the most pro-abortion place in the world. But instead of hanging our heads & wringing our hands, we will never stop fighting for the unborn! This battle, I’m sure, will go on for the rest of our lives. It took 49 years to overturn Roe; it will take a while to change this too. We’ve been set back, but we’re in the long game. In the pro-life movement we’ve always said we have to change hearts no matter what happens with the law.
The day after the election one courageous celebrity, Patricia Heaton (star of 2 of my all-time favorite TV shows: “Everybody Loves Raymond” & “The Middle”), posted online this encouragement: “For those of you who are Christians and who feel disappointed or despairing of the election results, it is a blessing to be reminded that our security does not rest in men or governments, which are finite and will eventually crumble, but in God alone who is ever sustaining.”
Abortion measures have also been passed in a few other states. Montanans will now permit infanticide–refusing to care for infants who are born alive after abortion. It’s horrific, but at least consistent because there’s nothing magical about passing through the birth canal that makes an unborn baby a “real” baby. I truly hope that those who have voted for this simply were deceived. These ballot measures were written in such confusing ways that it was easy for their proponents to hide the truth.
Still, voters knew that abortion was the issue regardless of the nuances. I hope those voters are shown the same mercy Jesus offered on the cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” They’re not our enemies-we know who the real spiritual enemy is behind the scenes. Apart from God & receiving His revelation in Scripture, minds get clouded; eyes closed; hearts hardened & consciences seared. So we don’t fight with the weapons of this world, but with spiritual ones of prayer, proclamation of truth, & persuasion through compassion.
Some people may think I’m pro-life because it’s just my religious belief, or I want to control women or force pregnancies. But the reason I’m actually pro-life is because killing innocent human beings is always wrong. They say, “It’s not murder because they’re not people.” That’s not an objective medical statement-that’s a subjectively biased view. It’s what some cultures will say about any people group they want to get rid of because depersonalizing makes killing possible.
So who’s really the extremist? The ones who want to stop children from being killed at any stage for any reason, or the ones who are OK with it? For anyone who thinks I’m an extremist…you have no idea just how extreme I really am. I’m a biblical Christian–which use to be mainstream, but now it’s radical! I’ll wear that label with pride.