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Devotional for Preparation, September 24, 2013

Carmen Pate, Truth in Action Ministries

Intention:

For God’s blessing upon the coming 40

Days for Life campaign.

Scripture:

If My people who are called by My

name will humble themselves, and

pray and seek My face, and turn from

their wicked ways, then I will hear

from heaven, and forgive their sin and

heal their land. — 2 Chronicles 7:14

Reflection:

Not unlike God’s chosen people of Israel,

we must humble ourselves, pray,

seek His face, and turn from our wicked

ways, if we expect God to hear from

heaven, forgive our sin, and heal our

land. The need for repentance has not

been greater since the Supreme Court

decision of Roe v. Wade in 1973.

The number one cause of death in

America is the needless sacrifice of our

children at the altar of convenience

called abortion. Conservative estimates

put the number of deaths at nearly 48

million.

And lest we think this is an issue outside

the church walls, 43 percent of

women obtaining abortions identify

themselves as Protestant, and 27 percent

identify themselves as Catholic.

One in four women has at least one

abortion by the age of 45 – both non-

Christian and Christian alike. Where

was the voice of Truth – the church?

Mary Comm of In Our Midst Ministries,

Inc. sums up the issue best as she

writes, “We (the church) have been an

unintentional accomplice to the millions

of lives lost and to the multiplied

millions of lives devastated by abortion.

We didn’t want them to abort. We

didn’t mean for them to abort. But, because

of our lack of knowledge, because

of our fear, we have continued to

stand by and do nothing.

“We, God’s hands and feet in this dark

and hurting world, have been unintentional,

unknowledgeable accomplice,

but an accomplice nonetheless.”

May today mark the beginning of

change within the church, as God’s

people, in unity, seek His forgiveness.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we have turned our

backs on you and your principles in

your Word. We have allowed man to

usurp Your role as God over life and

the number of our days.

But we come to you in brokenness and

repentance over our sin.

We cry out for Your mercy and ask you

to remove the scourge of abortion from

our land. Use us as your vessels, Lord,

to bring the light of Your Truth to our

nation once again. Because of Christ we

pray, amen

Devotional for Day 1, September 25, 2013

David Brandao, Communications Director, 40 Days for Life

Intention:

That we may use these 40 Days for Life

to plead for God’s mercy and grace upon

all those involved in the sin of abortion.

Scripture:

Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a

fast, call an assembly. Gather the people,

notify the congregation. Assemble

the elders; gather the children and the

infants at the breast… Let the priests,

the ministers of the Lord, weep and

say, "Spare, O Lord, your people.”

—Joel 2:15-17

Reflection:

The toll of abortion cannot be measured.

We hear estimates of almost 50

million innocent victims, but that’s only

one aspect of the harm that has unfolded

in abortion’s wake. There are also

the mothers and fathers of these millions,

as well as the grandparents,

brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles,

cousins. Unborn lives destroyed. Lives

of the living shattered.

It’s overwhelming and depressing, but

even in the midst of such unfathomable

darkness, the church teaches us to have

hope. Yes, it was indeed Calvary that

followed Christ’s 40 days in the desert,

but without Calvary there would have

been no Resurrection – His victory

over death that opened the gates of

heaven to those who believe in and follow

Him.

The psalmist encourages us to go humbly

before God as we seek His will:

A clean heart create for me, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within

me… Give me back the joy of your

salvation and a willing spirit sustain

in me… O Lord, open my lips, and

my mouth shall proclaim your

praise (Psalm 51:12-17).

We are called to be God’s messengers;

or as the Apostle Paul wrote:

We are ambassadors for Christ, as if

God were appealing through us. We

implore you on behalf of Christ: be

reconciled to God (2 Corinthians

5:20).

That is the true message to all we encounter

at the abortion centers and in

our communities who have been deceived

by the Culture of Death. We

don’t bring condemnation; we bring

God’s good news.

Prayer:

Lord, we ask for the strength, courage,

wisdom, determination and stamina to

carry out this mission according to

Your will.

Guide us, we pray, as we go forth and

proclaim Your truth, always doing so

with a spirit of love and compassion, as

was demonstrated to us through the

work of Your Son, Jesus Christ. In His

name we pray, amen.