Matters That Matter Because They Matter To God!
January 22, 1973 Was A Tragic Turning Point For Our Nation
Proverbs 16:1—2 reads, “ The intentions of the heart belong to a man (or woman), but the (truthful and proper) answer of the tongue comes from the Lord. All a person’s ways (desires, actions) seem right in his own opinion, but the Lord accurately weighs the motives.”
This passage reminds us how easy it can be for us to do/decide something before we understand the ultimate consequences of what we’re planning. Below the surface, many, if not most decisions can have a greater impact than we might ever imagine. This typically holds true when we as individuals act on our desires without considering how our actions might impact others. Additionally, it can have an influence on a larger scale when decisions are made for us by those who have the authority to do so. Please keep in mind that large scale decisions/choices are rarely “one—size fits all,” and it’s almost always impossible to please/satisfy “all the people all the time.” It’s also helpful to realize that whenever something is deemed to have a “political motive,” it usually becomes complicated. So, before I go any further, even though most people see abortion and the sanctity of life as “political,” it never should have been seen in that way. The reality is that it’s always been about morality: what’s right and wrong!
On a personal level, for many years, I’ve believed that the legalization of abortion was a turning point that changed the moral fiber of our nation. Life is a precious and sacred gift from God. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon repeatedly emphasized the idea that life is a gift from the hand of God and He desires that we acknowledge this reality by living in worship, praise and healthy fear for our Lord Almighty! If or when we lose sight of this absolute truth, it distorts our value system (what we treasure, cherish, and count as the priorities that our Creator wants us to have) because it destroys our reverence and respect for God and His Word. Sadly, it tends to take God out of the picture.
Recently there’s been a lot of media attention given to the long—standing controversy between those who oppose abortion and those who support it. The Supreme Court has held several hearings about it; some states have enacted new laws to change the availability of abortion services; protests have been held by people on each side of the issue; and last week was the anniversary of the initial Supreme Court decision (Roe—Wade).
You might be asking why I’m writing my monthly ACEFC newsletter article about this. Some time back, I was asked to write a monthly column for the Peoria Journal Star for their Religion Section. I did this for several years and in January each year, I would write a column focusing attention on the Sanctity of Life.
Please bear with me as I explain something else that’s very near and dear to me. One of the main reasons why I wrote an annual column about this was because our daughter Kristin was born under emergency circumstances on the 15th anniversary of the Roe—Wade decision. Her pre—mature lungs and subsequent fight for life left an impression on me that will never fade. She’s alive because God saved her! (He’s saved her twice: once after her birth and a second time when she trusted Christ as her Lord/Savior.) The nurses and doctors in the Neo—Natal Unit did a marvelous job, but on various occasions they admitted to me that they didn’t expect her to survive the many episodes of trauma due to her lungs and other related concerns. Prior to this experience, I held a solid “Pro—Life Position,” but God used this to strengthen my convictions about the absolute importance of the Sanctity of Life. I realized that being silent about this was not an option.
In preparation for writing this, I did some “relevant and recent” research. Over the past two years, we’ve been inundated with information about Covid. But did you know that the leading cause of death in the world today is abortion? Since Roe—Wade, there have been more than 60 million babies who have been aborted in the US. Last year there were between 40 to 50 million babies aborted around the world. Worldwide, it’s estimated that 1 out of 4 pregnancies end in abortion and in major cities in the US, it’s possible that 1/3 of all pregnancies are aborted.
This is mind—boggling to me and it’s important to realize that the babies aren’t the only victims. Every one of them has a mother and a father who are being deceived and damaged by what takes place with every abortion.
What can we do? First, let’s pray that eyes and ears will be opened to the truth that life is a gift from God. Second, let’s ask God to open doors of ministry for us to speak the Truth with Love. Many of you have heard me frequently say that it’s our privilege to tell others about God’s gracious provision of freedom and forgiveness thru Christ’s death and resurrection. Please speak up and share this Good News with others. Third, we can pray for all the decision—makers connected to the choices made by mothers, legislators, judges, counselors, grandparents, relatives, etc…
With prayer for God’s glory and praise for His grace, Pastor Greg