40 DAYS FOR LIFE - DAY 13 - ON THE SIXTH DAY GOD CREATED HUMAN LIFE.

"They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters... and the land was polluted with blood. Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and He abhorred his heritage; he gave them into the hands of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their power. (See Psalm 106:37-43)

DAY 13 INTENTION
We pray for the strength to love those who do not love us.

SCRIPTURE

But the Lord said "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in the night and perished in the night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left, and much livestock? Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

-- Jonah 4:10-11

REFLECTION - by Dennis DiMauro, Lutherans for Life

God doesn't value people and things like we do.

Jonah loved a shade tree more than an entire city of sinful people. We love our dogs more than a terrorist. We love our cars more than a beggar on the side of the road. And sometimes, we love our money more than a child growing in a desperate teenager's womb.

But God isn't like us. Genesis 1 tells us that humans were the capstone of God's creation.

We were created on the sixth day after God had completed the land, the stars, the plants and the animals. Therefore, His love for us is greater than His love for a plant, an animal, or any other created thing.

And the book of Jonah tells us that He loves even the most sinful people and seeks to bring them into His merciful arms. And it's a love that seeks to touch all of his created children: that desperate teenager, the baby growing in her womb, even tyrants and terrorists.

So it's up to us to imitate God's merciful love by helping and praying for those who persecute us, and those who don't love us back.

PRAYER

Gracious God, loving our enemies seems like one of most difficult things you could ask of us.

Please remind us that this is how you love and that if you ask it of us then you will give us the grace to do it. This we ask through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Holy God,

Getting involved is sometimes difficult. It is so much easier to walk away from problems and claim that they do not concern us. But we know that Your Word tells us that we ARE to be concerned and involved in the problems of others, and that we ARE to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Give us the will to pray for these precious babies and their parents, the courage to act, and the desire to extend our love to those who have no other hope. Make us open to Your leading in all things; for whatever You have asked us to do, You have promised that You will equip us to do. May the Name of Jesus Christ be glorified. Amen.

John 15:9-17

9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other.

O magnify Your love within our hearts, O Lord, that we might show forth a greater measure of Your love ... that You would pierce the hearts of those so ready to end life ... that none could resist the winsome and beautiful and eternal love of God, to the Glory and Honor of Jesus Christ, Blessed Son of God. Amen ...

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