Posted on 02/26/2009 5:50:08 AM PST by Faith
40 Days for Life consists of 40 days of prayer and fasting for an end to abortion, 40 days of constant, peaceful vigil outside abortion centers and Planned Parenthood offices and 40 days of active pro-life community outreach.
Your community may be participating in this prayerful vigil. If so, please join others in your area or unite with thousands across America during the 40 days of Lent in praying for an end to abortion in this nation.
May the King of the Universe, who entered this world as a helpless infant, give us the humility to be healed.
SCRIPTURE
My power is made perfect in weakness. - 2 Corinthians 12:9
REFLECTION
The great mystery of the Humility of God is very near and dear to the mission of those serving in pro life and in a special way, post abortion ministries across this nation.
For those wounded by their participation in abortion, the door to healing often feels like crossing an abyss of great fear: fear of judgment, fear of being torn apart by the pain, by self hatred and rage at those who hurt and abandoned you, and manipulated you in your time of temptation.
For men in particular, entering the unknown waters of emotional vulnerability, so necessary to healing calls for a different kind of courage that feels deceptively like weakness.
The door to healing is humility.
It is born in the inability to no longer control the pain, to live with the consequences of that tragic decision to reject life. The hearts cries out, "I have committed a grave offense against my Creator and I am consumed by regret, grief and sorrow!"
During these forty days let us pray for all who have participated in abortion and with love call them to healing and reconciliation. With healing these women and men can become as John Paul II proclaimed in the Gospel of Life, "the most eloquent defenders of everyone's right to life."
Jesus proclaimed, "I am the Vine, you are the branches" (John 15:5). To bear the greatest fruit, the branches must be pruned. Each level of pruning of the vine requires a deeper level of humility so that we can abandon ourselves to His will.
This is not a lofty theological concept as much as it is an earthy experience of pulling weeds, tilling rocky soil, pruning and healing the vines. "If a man wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and begin to follow in my footsteps" (Matthew 16:24).
PRAYER
Lord, during these forty days, we ask that with each day of this sacred vigil, everything in us that separates us from your perfect will would be pruned from our hearts and souls. In this blessed freedom may we experience a powerful anointing of your Holy Spirit. Filled with confidence and trust may we proclaim with the mother of Jesus, "Let it be done to me, according to your Word."
Ping.
Amen! Excellent post.
Father God, may the church and your children examine themselves. Open our eyes to our own pride, criticisms and judgementalism against others. Father, bring our hearts to true repentance and healing so we can reach out in love to those who are hurting, the post-abortive. Father, help us to reach past ourselves to these, whom the church has pushed away. Cause Your love, through us, to reach through their guilt and shame. Open their eyes to see themselves as You see them, forgiven and loved, clothed in the cleansing purity of Christ’s shed blood. Bring them healing, Father, IN Jesus Name we pray this, AMEN.
Prayer Bump!
Amen to your beautiful prayer. Many of our churches are turning a blind eye to this problem to avoid being political. It is absolutely essential that the Body of Christ stands for the unborn. We will all be held accountable for what we do or fail to do in their defense.
HALLELUJAH!
BTTT
Gigantic Praise our Glorious, Most Excellent, Marvelous God and King.
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