[Salvation]

Day 20 - October 15

 

Intention:

May God's justice sober our society, and may mercy triumph over judgment.

Scripture:

Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man's brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.

- Genesis 9:5-6

Reflection:

The value of every human being can hardly be seen more clearly than with this verse. God, the King of the universe, has created all human beings in his image, and declares forthrightly that shedding the blood of any individual will require the blood of the one who shed it. God's concern for human beings is not limited to any particular group. Indeed, his concern is universal, and includes male and female, young and old, born and unborn, disabled and able-bodied, the citizens of every nation on earth.

Abortion, the deliberate killing of the unborn, is the shedding of innocent blood. Surely the blood of millions upon millions of innocent children cries out to God. It is true that we live in an age of grace, and yet this passage (among many other texts which express similar sentiments) should give every thinking Christian pause.

Christians of all people, entrusted with the Word of God as we are, must take a stand. We must speak out. We must do all that we can to protect the innocent, to pursue justice, and to encourage the repentance of all those who bear responsibility for this great evil. Only in this manner can we hope to forestall the judgment that must otherwise surely come.

This passage should also be seen as an encouragement to educate and disciple our children and grandchildren about what it means to be human, and the responsibility that will become theirs in this ongoing struggle.

Prayer:

O Father, forgive us for our lack of courage and our want of compassion for the unborn and for those lost and hurt by abortion. Fill us anew with your Spirit. Renew our minds, strengthen us in righteousness, help us be people of salt and light within our nation. May every human being, from conception to natural death, be treated with the respect due those made in your image. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Rev. John Brown
Director, United Friends for Life (United Church of Christ)

[Salvation]

We are at the halfway point and look at the results into today's email from Shawn Carney.

We're halfway through this 40 Days for Life campaign
-- and it's clear that God has used YOU to help save
lives through these peaceful efforts.

Local campaign leaders report that so far ...

... 198 babies (and their mothers) have been spared
from abortion -- that we know of!

Praise God!!!

Here are just a few of their stories.


-----------------------------------------------------
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
-----------------------------------------------------

A man walked up to the prayer volunteers at the
40 Days for Life vigil and said he had a story to tell.

"I have taught my daughter moral values all her life,"
he said. "She heard y'all out here praying when she
came here today. She heard y'all when she came out.
She has decided to have my grandchild. Thank you!"

"This is God's notice that your prayers are heard and
that your work is most worthy," said Eileen in Raleigh.

To see a photo of the vigil location in Raleigh,
please go to:

http://40daysforlife.com/blog/?p=3476


-----------------------------------------------------
GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS
-----------------------------------------------------

Josephine watched as a woman left the abortion center
and walked towards her car. She looked at Josephine
and said, "I didn't do it." 

The woman said that she had heard God’s voice and was
hoping that the prayer volunteers would still be there
when she left. "She shared with me she has twins,"
Josephine said. She also said that she had other
children already.

"I will always remember the smile on her face knowing
that God aided her toward making the right choice,"
Josephine said, "and for her awareness that others
had been praying for her."


-----------------------------------------------------
McMINNVILLE, OREGON
-----------------------------------------------------

"We have a confirmed baby saved at our site!" said
Elisha in McMinnville. Volunteers prayed as two young
women went into Planned Parenthood. When they left the
parking lot a half hour later, one of the girls
rolled down the car window and said to the vigil
participants, "I chose life!" 


-----------------------------------------------------
LONDON, ENGLAND
-----------------------------------------------------

Dave from London's Brixton location said volunteers
from St. Bede's were on their knees in prayer outside
the abortion center when two women went over to the
prayer volunteers’ information stand and asked for
some literature.

One of the women was pregnant. She and her friend had
gone into the Marie Stopes abortion facility, but said
while she was inside, she had changed her mind.

"After shedding a few tears," Dave said, "the ladies
left promising to keep her baby."


-----------------------------------------------------
ALEXANDRIA, MINNESOTA
-----------------------------------------------------

In Alexandria, there's a pregnancy help center right
across the street from Planned Parenthood. One of the
volunteers there told of a couple who walked in and
said they had an appointment. The woman was in tears.

The volunteer was curious -- the pregnancy help center
doesn't require appointments, so she guessed that the
appointment was really at the place across the street.

The woman thought she was pregnant -- and frightened.
She was over 40, had never been pregnant and was not
sure she wanted to have the baby.

The volunteer explained all of the support that was
available and the couple left in much higher spirits.
"Hopefully," said Debbie in Alexandria, "another
precious baby saved!"