It has been a long journey on the pro-life path. I was first pro-"choice". Then I veered over the the pro-life circle but I believed in exceptions (rape, incest, life of the mother). Then I was pro-life only for life of the mother. I say love and protect both now with no exceptions.. after all, the mother and baby are of equal value in God's eyes! At each step, I have grown more aware of all the areas that the pro-life label encompasses.
Now, there is still more journeying to go. Many years ago, I had no idea there was a "Sanctity of Life Sunday". Of course, the pro-abortion side celebrates a day where the execution of defenseless and voiceless human beings is allowed. They celebrate Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton and the pack of lies that is at its foundation. The pro-lifers have countered Satan's work with the unabashed and unashamed celebration of the beautiful creation of life. That really is an every day celebration, isn't it?
Yet, we have one particular day set aside each year to focus on this message and there are Marches for Life, pro-life sermons and Sanctity of Life tables set up in many locations to make others aware of what this day's significance. My own church had a table and it was also addressed from the pulpit. Other pro-lifer people show their support in various ways and they sometimes come out of the woodwork. I love that the fact that new visitors or people I do not know very well, go to the table and pick up brochures and look at the prenatal baby models.
They ask questions and share testimonies. Sometimes they tell about a preemie who was born at 24 weeks and is now 6 years old and doing great. Some of them share how they had a miscarriage and they point at the baby model of a certain gestational age. Stories of a troubled, pregnant niece or cousin bring tears of concern and requests for help. Every year this day gives opportunities to educate and minister to a group that seems to hunger for answers and help. We are here to encourage and edify.
That aside, deep down it is a deeply sad day and I also resent that it even exists. I have not "celebrated" many of these Sanctity of Life Sundays even though I have been pro-life for quite awhile now. That is because I am so new to this. It is one thing to hold pro-life views, but it is another to act on it. My pro-life beliefs have spanned about 16 to 18 years but only 10 years of that have been in actual ministry.
Maybe others in the pro-life ministry has felt this sadness as well. I hate that we even have to have this day in the first place. Meaning that if abortion did not take over 3,700 babies' lives every day, this would not even register on any calendar. That would be fine by me.
Should the day ever arrive that abortion is a mere mention in a few dusty, moth-eaten history books, then I would propose a replacement celebration. It would still be Sanctity of Human Life Sunday but the day would be like a WWII V-E Day--vanquishing evil. Not gonna' gloat though....wouldn't be prudent. No, that is not true....I would be doing a huge victory dance and those of you who know me....I do NOT dance (that is a public service to all my fellow human beings out there).
This past weekend was a little too busy to blog about Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. Today is the day we observe the holiday recognizing Martin Luther King Jr.. He was pro-life and he said many things that coincides with the Sanctity of Life message, namely equality for all (it does not matter shade of skin, size, location, age and level of dependency). This link is to the blog of MLK Jr's niece Dr. Alveda King. Honoring Uncle MLK
Over the years, on my pro-life journey, I came across these quotes (and there are many more I could share here):
“Cowardice asks the question: is it safe? Expediency asks the question: is it politic? Vanity asks the question: is it popular? But conscience asks the question: is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular- but one must take it simply because it is right.”
"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."
"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal."
Sanctity of human life and equality go hand in hand. Value ALL life....all lives are equally precious in God's eyes. God does not make mistakes! Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
I believe that our REAL days of Sanctity of Life are Christmas and Easter! Sadly, I also recognize that our observance of Sanctity of Life in January is going to be around as long as abortion exists as it does presently. It is highly improbable that we would have SOHL exist otherwise. Until the last abortion mill is shuttered, we need to........
Proverbs 24:11-12
Deliver those who are drawn toward death, And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, “Surely we did not know this,” Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
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