When we look at our calendars packed with birthday parties, holiday gatherings and lunch meetings, it seems like just about every day of the year we have something to celebrate, but this Sunday is truly special. It is Sanctity of Life Sunday! When it comes to life, there is so much to celebrate because life is one of the greatest miracles, one we get to witness every single day. Human beings are the only creatures of all God’s creation who continue to reproduce in His image. In fact, every time a baby is conceived and born, an image bearer of the Creator emerges for a purpose He decided long before they came into existence (Psalm 139:16).
As Christians, however, sanctity of life is something we should celebrate every day. Every breath we take, every heartbeat, every time we blink is a gift from God, from the moment we are conceived to the moment we breathe our last breath, the creation of life is God’s work and his work alone (Psalm 139:13). Because of this reality, we must take a stand against the murder of innocent babies in the womb whether by prayer, activism, adoption or whatever God compels you to do. When a baby is murdered in the womb, not only is it an assault against that baby, it is an assault against God himself.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. —Psalm 139:13-16
In the US alone, almost 61,000,000 babies have lost their lives through the gruesome act of abortion since Roe v. Wade (1973), at the hands of doctors who claim to care about women’s health. Globally, that number is almost 1.6 billion! If that doesn’t make you sick to the stomach, I don’t know what will. As a society, that means we will lose out on the amazing things God had planned for the world through those innocent lives—doctors who would save lives, inventions to make life better that will never come to be, books that will never be written, missionaries who were meant to take the Gospel to the nations, and the countless generations of humans who would’ve come from those brutally slain in the womb. If we think there’s not a high price to pay for such an injustice, we are wrong.
The cost is so high, in fact, that Jesus laid down his own life (John 10:17-18) so we could have life—eternal life. So that doctors who perform these procedures could be forgiven, so mothers and fathers who chose to abort their babies can be forgiven, so parents and grandparents of an unwed teen can be forgiven for making their daughter or granddaughter go through with it even though she didn’t want to, for pastors to be forgiven for making their daughters go through with an abortion so they don’t bring shame to the family, so that sinners like you and me can be forgiven.
The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows.) —John 10:10 AMP
Because of the blood that Jesus shed for our sins, there is hope! For this reason, celebrations will take place throughout the week around our city and across our nation. People will gather to celebrate the gift of God’s work in the womb by praying, advocating, adopting, loving, and ultimately, repenting. Yes, even repentance is a form of celebration. Just yesterday, members of the faith community, regardless of denomination, gathered together at our state’s capitol to celebrate life and bring awareness to our community.
If you have gone through an abortion, this isn’t intended to condemn you, but to give you hope. If you’re pregnant and struggling with this decision or a brave, young mother who chose life, this isn’t meant to scare you, but to encourage you and let you know you are not alone. There is a family ready and waiting to embrace you, to help you, to love you. Just a few months ago, Harvest hosted an amazing organization called Embrace Grace, who had one of their famous baby showers in our youth center. When a brave young woman chooses life, the family at Embrace Grace will come along side her and help her, provide things she will need for her baby with a beautiful baby shower and support her along her journey of motherhood. Like Embrace Grace, I like the term pro-love because every human created in the image of God deserves to be loved, from the womb to the tomb!
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Love Jesus. Love each other. Love your city.
Harvest, Go be the Church!
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