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Day 23 - October 14

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:

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.

Dennis DiMauro
Lutherans for Life representative to the National Pro-life Religious Council

Today’s email:
Have you been to pray at a 40 Days for Life vigil yet?

Some people are physically unable to, others are too far
away from one of the locations. But for many — including
me, at first — there’s fear.

People will ask, “What do I do?” or “What sign should
I bring?”

The answer is simple — the only sign you really need to
bring is yourself — for you represent God’s love at the
most crucial moment for the woman and her baby.

Fear of the going to pray at the abortion facility is
common — and normal. In fact, I recently gave a speech
on fear at the national Students for Life conference as
they prepared to equip students for this fall’s 40 Days
for Life campaign.

To hear my short talk about fear of praying in front
of the abortion facilities, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1281

YOU are the sign — the sign to women arriving for
abortions that someone cares, that God cares, and
that there IS another way.

DALLAS, TEXAS

40 Days for Life prayer volunteers in Dallas noticed
two women sitting in a car outside the abortion facility
— a center that does late-term abortions. One of the
women appeared to be several months into her pregnancy.

The women just sat and watched the people praying.
Occasionally, they held their heads in their hands.
Then they watched again. A prayer volunteer reports that
they eventually decided to leave — and one more life
was saved.

“We had no idea we would experience another life saved
by the grace of God,” said Lauren in Dallas. Reflecting
on the 3,000 lives saved through God’s mercy at 40 Days
for Life prayer vigils, she added, “Do we have any idea
how this will change the world?”

To see a picture of the 40 Days for Life vigil in Dallas,
please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1281

AKRON, OHIO

A Knights of Columbus group joined the 40 Days for Life
vigil in Akron recently, with members taking turns
praying at this late-term abortion center over a 10-hour
period.

Bob, one of the Knights, had noticed a young woman going
into the center while he was praying. A short time later,
she came out and simply told him, “I changed my mind.
I’m not having an abortion.”

Around lunchtime, Mike saw a woman who was visibly
pregnant enter the building. Mike kept praying. It wasn’t
long before this woman and her two companions walked out.
“I’m keeping this child,” she said.

“This just emphasizes the need for the prayer vigil,”
said Greg in Akron. “If we weren’t having an effect,
they wouldn’t have security guards and escorts to
prevent us from speaking to the women going in ... but
they do see us outside there praying.”

HOUSTON, TEXAS

I’ve talked before about the Planned Parenthood abortion
mega-center in Houston. Today I’d like to show it to you.
It’s a former bank building along busy Interstate 45,
and it is one of the largest abortion facilities in
North America.

To take a look, please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=1281

There’s a big black fence and a gate. They’ve painted
“no trespassing” in green on the driveway, and escorts
speak sternly to anyone who crosses the line, even
though it is now a bit faded and hard to see.

But the fence and the escorts and the faded green
letters can’t keep out your prayers.

The picture shows one person kneeling in prayer. One
person. And as we know. one person CAN make a difference.

And that one person can be YOU!

If you haven’t prayed at a 40 Days for Life vigil yet,
why not do so today?

Here’s the link to the participating locations:

http://40daysforlife.com/location.cfm