January is National Sanctity of Life month and upon reflection, has stirred up several studies regarding issues very, very close to my heart. The following are some notes from my ongoing studies and from sermons at my church this month in honor of the millions of babies that are now in heaven and trying to advocate for the sanctity of life in the future.
"But Jesus called for them, saying, 'Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." -Luke 18:16
"Since when does anyone's right to live depend upon someone else wanting them? Killing the unwanted, is a monstrous evil . . ." "The pivotal question is, should any civilized nation give to one citizen the absolute right to kill another to solve the first person's personal problem?" -John Wilke, National Right to Life
"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
$11 every second are spent by tax payers to fund abortions in the US. Since 1973, over 50,000,000 babies have been killed in America. It's a staggering epidemic in a country that could legalize and sanction the killing of babies. People often argue "when does life begin?" The problem with that question is ignoring the bigger questions of "when does/doesn't life have value?" and "when does life no longer have meaning?" This happens when we choose that what we want is more important than what God has engineered.
"Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” -Jer. 1:4-5
"What then could I do when God arises? And when He calls me to account, what will I answer Him? Did not He who made me in the womb make him, And the same one fashion us in the womb?" -Job 31:14-15
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men." -John 1:1-4
"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” -Gen. 1:27-28
"That child... is a gift from God...Don't ever allow even one child, born or unborn to be unwanted... An incredible poverty exists today. Unborn children are aborted because they are unwanted. Children die in their mother's wombs because they are unwanted. A nation that allows abortion is a very poor one." -Mother Teresa
Thankfully, we read in Scripture that even if a mother should forsake her child, God will not forsake them. He has them in the palm of His hand (that is a very safe place to be)!!! Similarly, we also read that if we admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Those are beautiful promises to hold on to- it's never too late to do the right thing or to repent and ask for forgiveness!!
Recently I read about the story of a woman named Pam, who knows the pain of considering abortion. More than 24 years ago, she and her husband Bob were serving as Christian missionaries to the Philippines and praying for a fifth child. Pam contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in contaminated food or drink. She went into a coma and was treated with strong antibiotics before they discovered she was pregnant. Doctors urged her to abort the baby for her own safety (even though abortions were illegal in the Philippines) and told her that the medicines had caused irreversible damage to her baby. She refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities the physicians predicted. Pam said the doctors didn't think of it as a life, they thought of it as a mass of fetal tissue.
While pregnant, Pam nearly lost their baby four times but refused to consider abortion. She recalled making a pledge to God with her husband: If you will give us a son, we’ll name him Timothy and we’ll make him a preacher.
Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and eventually gave birth to a healthy baby boy August 14, 1987. Pam’s youngest son is indeed a preacher. He preaches in prisons, makes hospital visits, and serves with his father’s ministry in the Philippines. He also plays football. Pam’s son is Tim Tebow.
The University of Florida’s star quarterback became the first sophomore in history to win college football’s highest award, the Heisman Trophy. His current role as quarterback of the Denver Broncos has provided an incredible platform for Christian witness. As a result, he is being called The Mile-High Messiah. Just this Monday after Tim Tebow wins against the Steelers in OT with 316 passing yards with the reference John 3:16 written on his eye-black, John 3:16 was the #1 Google search of the day.
Tim’s notoriety and the family’s inspiring story have given Pam numerous opportunities to speak on behalf of women’s centers across the country. Pam Tebow believes that every little baby you save matters. I pray her tribe will increase!!
These are some amazing videos shown several times at our church, yet they never cease to make me say, "WOW":
For resources:
Alternate Avenues 24 hr helpline 888-395-HELP; http://www.alternateavenues.net/
A Woman's Care Center 24 hr helpline(909) 544-2723; http://awomenscarecenter.org/
Choices Helpline: (909) 258-9272; http://optionminded.com/default.aspx
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