Yesterday marked the fortieth anniversary of Roe vs. Wade in our country. There is so much tragedy and brutality surrounding that decision on the part of our Supreme Court that it is just too much to take in. The pro-life movement has had its victories, but at the end of the day, 57 million unborn babies have been slaughtered.
Something that has bothered me for a long time is the relative ineffectiveness of being pro-life. While I have worked at a crisis pregnancy center, supported Pro-life ministries, and done whatever else seems doable, there is a certain amount of frustration. It isn’t as though girls on their way in to Planned Parenthood bring it up with strangers in the grocery store first. This is something that has just been happening in spite of us, something that has been haunting our country for a very long time.
Yesterday I saw the video put out by some reproductive council in celebration of Roe vs. Wade. It was spectacular in its sickness. A well-dressed man with bedroom eyes talking to his girl (Roe vs. Wade) “Happy Anniversary, Baby.” Talking about how they tried to keep us apart, about how they never will. So completely appalling that it just sort of sits there in front of you – asking you to just try and soak it in. Recently I saw an ad for Planned Parenthood that featured an ecstatic woman – arms raised in enthusiasm wearing a shirt that says “I had an abortion.”
As I was thinking about this last night something occurred to me. It’s big, it’s ugly, it seems unstoppable, and now it is sassy-talking too. It is coming out to taunt us! What does this remind us of? Remember a certain Giant that challenged Israel? The one who came out daily and blasphemed? For forty days. Until David happened to be there when he did it. All of Israel was afraid. All of Israel responded in fear to Goliath’s threats. They worried about it. They were grieved. They were frustrated and afraid. And this is how it is possible that in a country where over 50% of the population think a baby is a baby, abortion is still legal. Because a lot of those people are afraid.
This brings me to what was really on my mind to say. This is a fight, and there are two sides. There is one side for God and there is one side against Him. One of the things that frustrates Pro-lifers so intensely is that the people who are standing over on Goliath’s side are apparently not noticing how hideous he is. We try to persuade them by showing them pictures, telling them stories, and showing them the obvious evil that is taking place. It can be incredibly frustrating. Why can they not see it? The answer at a fundamental level is that they do not fear God. They cannot see because they do not have eyes to see.
In some way, the presence of a sick monster on your side is comforting. They know he is hideous. That is not the point. They might not want to think about it, but they know. That is not the argument. The thing that they are deceived about is that they think their monster is stronger than God. But their monster cannot protect them. There is a safety in sin when you are standing with him. Let him go out and taunt – it makes your smaller sin feel a little less guilty. But you certainly can’t admit the depth of his sin, not without admitting the depth of your own.
But we know that our God is stronger than Goliath. We know that he will fall. It is simply a question of when and how. Goliath is not invincible, Goliath does not get away with taunting the Living God. We know how that story ends.
So our prayer should be for an unlikely warrior. For someone who is strategic and unafraid. Or for a whole movement of people who are small, strategic, and unafraid. Do not listen to the blaspheming taunts of Goliath. Do not believe for a moment that he is a strong as he says he is. Make yourselves into smooth stones. Make yourselves about the right weight and shape to kill a Giant. Raise your children to believe God. Repent of your own sin quickly. Do not slip into taking comfort  in the relative smallness of your sin next to that. Behave on a daily basis like God cares about the little things in your life, not just the little people in the wombs of others. Do not fear. Do not run away from Goliath. Worship God. Pray. Believe His promises. Be joyful. Educate your children. Love your children in sacrificial ways. Invite people to share a table with you. Reach out to the lost with forgiveness, with the blood of Christ.
It is only a matter of time, and in my opinion, forty years is enough.
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Rachel,
You and your family share with us not only wisdom, but courage as well! This makes me feel hopeful and mighty. Like I truly can raise my children to believe God. Our God is stronger than Goliath! Thanks for the reminders.
So powerful! Thank you for the perspective, it truly does raise courage and hope against the enemy!
What a wonderful and heartening perspective to take: May R v W’s 40 years, be Goliath’s 40 days!
Thank you so much for this post. I have been wrestling with how to get involved and take stands in my community for the pro-life cause that would be effective and and not just continue to the do the same thing over and over again that has not worked on a massive scale. This post has got my brain thinking in a new way and I hope it can inspire others to start thinking about the enemy we face a little differently and become more strategic in our efforts to save these babies.
Thank you! This is so encouraging to read, especially after a day of seeing female friends and acquaintances celebrating Roe v Wade.
Hello Ladies! For an encouraging note you can check out the work that the Morning Center is doing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlt2G61RjPE
Here is a link to a video they put out about a year ago.
Rachel,
Listen to the last week or more of Dr. Albert Mohler’s “The Briefing”- I think you will find him to be a valuable voice to support your amazing gift for communicating Truth. They are 15 min. snippets
of analyzing current events from a Christian perspective.
Fight the good fight precious leister in Christ!
Whoops- edit- “sister” NOT “”leister???”
Thank you for your apt response to that incredibly creepy video, Rachel. “Goliath does not get away with taunting the Living God. We know how that story ends.” Indeed.
Good grief! I’m not from the States, so I haven’t seen or heard about these celebrations. Feel physically ill. Thank you for your wise response Rachel. Yes! Goliath won’t stand against the living God!
Wow. Yes, I’ve had the same thoughts about feeling so small and ineffective in my stand as a pro-life Christian against abortion.
Your words inspire new thinking. I’m a youngish mom to 4 little ones right now… The days are pretty hard sometimes. But maybe, being faithful to them… will ultimately serve the cause of Christ in a more far reaching way.
Thank you for giving me some new things to ponder!
Amazing. Thank you!
Thank you for this! Beautiful perspective.
You’re right, they’re deceived. They think they are getting freedom and a new life. They are actually destroying the life of another and they will be brought to account by Him.
As a person who became a Christian at 19 I held the pro ‘choice’ position for many years.
From my perspective the main fight is not ‘ making them see’ but love. Yes they are sinning dreadfully and we must hold the ground we have – however a lot of the people who are deceived and need the mercy and Grace of God do not hear it enough.
What I am saying is I have been at my own church hearing a sermon that had no Grace, only explaining what we already knew without him, the technical definition of abortion.
Perhaps the next battle is saying ‘ this is still wrong, but Christ forgives’
Very good.
Canada has no law.! Do you think that a bad law, say ; “Legalized” abortion up to 20 weeks is better.?
No, we need a law which protects all children.
Let’s pray and work towards such a law.
no change!
Smooth stones indeed. Thank you for that.
This is so encouraging to me, especially as we get ready to launch a Pregnancy Care Centre in our town. Thank you for the reminder that our God is much more powerful than the giant we face in the abortion industry.
Thank you so much for this. Lately I’ve been feeling beaten down and overcome by Goliath, and worried that he will still be around to wreak even more havoc in my daughter’s time. You’ve refreshed at least one small and strategic (working on unafraid!) pray-er through this post… thanks again!
Thank you for this Rachel. I was just having a discussion with someone who against abortion except for when the mother’s life is at stake. He kept making statements like, “you guys cannot beat abortion” over and over. It was frustrating because brought up some valid points such as, what do we do with all those babies if abortion is abolished? He said that we need someone on our side who will have a REAL plan for handling illegal abortions and all of the unwanted babies. He is right. Our prayer really needs to be for the church to rise up and have a heart for firstly, prayer… not just for abortion to end, but for the heart of our nation to embrace the value of human life. Secondly for our nation to gain a heart of adoption.
I cannot lie, I felt super frustrated at his constant “you guys cannot beat abortion” But what he does not see is that it’s not us, it’s God and HE CAN and WILL!! 🙂
By far THE best discussion I’ve heard on Roe v wade. Like you, I often feel beat down and overcome. I just stand, mouth-gaping- looking around at everyone like “Who ARE you people? How can you POSSIBLY?!?!?” It is so depressing.
I am so glad to have read this. What an amazing reminder of what I should have understood a long time ago.
Thank you!
Dear Rachel,
That was a very enCOURAGEing post. It is so easy to be a materialist and see how big Goliath is.
I want to say that abortion is of a piece with the fact that our culture doe not know what it is to be a human being anymore. Look at the education system — we want our children to be healthy and productive in the physical realm. No spiritual component to the little humans is acknowledged. Why should anyone care that a high order of animal is killed in utero? Or later?
Keep up the good work.
This is a ministry someone close to me is getting involved in. Check it out, its an amazing way to reach women who’ve had an abortion, (which 3 out of 5 women have!! Shocking statistics, but true) bring healing and bring to light the truth of how horrible abortion is, how damaging it is to the woman despite the lies the world tells, and how precious life truly is.
Surrendering the Secret ministry:
http://www.surrenderingthesecret.com/
http://abolishhumanabortion.com/
I linked in from Blog and Mablog and I am very impressed. Great post, ma’am. I pray that this may be that movement. Tactics of slavery abolitionists, calling the Church to repent, and VERY Gospel centered.
Thanks for the encouragement! Our church has organized protests outside a local abortion clinic. We’ve been encouraged by some who have said they didn’t even realize it was an abortion clinic. We’ve also witnessed a few women turn from murdering their unborn child. Here’s a link to a printable sign and an abortion clinic awareness ministry: http://crownrights.org/babies/download/babiesaremurderedtitle_1920tw/
Keep up the good work.
I enjoyed reading your thoughts, Rachel.
What I have found over my many years of involvement in the pro-life movement (including physical presence and volunteering, financial, prayer) and as a woman who used to be in the science community, is that a shocking number of people who call themselves pro-life aren’t actually pro-life. Oh, they may affiliate themselves with the political movement, but when it comes down to it, they aren’t actually any more willing to help care for the children and women (and sometimes, men) involved than anyone else. Children are not only despised in our culture, but in the church at large as well. I have been at the receiving end, and witnessed other mamas being at the receiving end, of some of the most cruel remarks (based on family size) I’ve heard while at a church meeting. When those who call themselves pro-life want just as much to keep children at bay through abortifacient drugs (which can be conveniently secret), to increase their own earthly wealth as much as possible, to live their own little lives apart from the messiness of the world, this makes a mockery of the pro-life side. The strength has been gutted. What this does in the mind of someone who doesn’t believe that God created life in the first place is to make a huge mockery of our pro-life movement and all we say we stand for. Being pro-life is certainly being against abortion, but it is so much more than that. I have five children (so far) and the number one comment I get about them is, “I don’t know how you do it.” My favorite reply currently is to just wait until I have a dozen! 😉 But seriously…I am not saying every pro-lifer should necessarily have as many children as they are physically able, but they should have a fundamental love for children and a heart to encourage and strengthen those who are raising them. We are planning to move overseas soon, to an area where many are left orphans due to AIDS and trafficking. God is already preparing our hearts to open up our home to many such orphans. This, too, is part of being pro-life. And it is something only God can truly make real in our hearts. I was a blaspheming, proud, “feminist” unbeliever until I was almost 22 years old. I hated children and the inconvenience they were to “life”. But God changed all that when He saved me. Do I still struggle with living a life of service to the “least of these”? Sure I do, especially days when I’m so tired and I wonder what difference it is making anyway. When we see God as the author of life…ALL life…that is when we step out of a political movement and into His kingdom movement, in faith that is well-pleasing to Him. Like David, using your example. We cannot change the minds of those whose eyes are blinded by the devil, but God certainly can. We must intercede on their behalf, we must believe God, and we must live a life authentic to the Gospel to which we’ve been called. Let’s join Him!!! <3
Every knee will bow and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord! And all the sin, including the fact that women want to continue indulging in sexual behavior with no consequences in their womb, will be revealed, We have indulged our sinful nature so much its corrupted every sanctity God gave us as precious and valuable, i.e. children, marriage. It grieves my heart, but I have rest in the Gospel. Thank you for your insightful post.
I find roe v wade very disturbing. I am a nurse and I feel the strength of this movement. I fear one day I will be forced to be fired if I continue not to provide this service, I currently refuse as I will not be standing before God with the guilt of this blood shed. i am sorry, but I think the church is using the wrong tactic. We should show love and grace to those who have believed this lie, that has been promoted by none other than that roaring lion the devil. I have had many a patient whose husband and family have no idea that this something they did when they were young maybe in high school or college. I believe this is where the battle ground is, these girls go see their Dr. pregnant and their Dr recommends an abortion or planned parenthood and our evil government itself will pay for it. There is where the intervention needs to occur, they are young, scared and poor and in washington you don’t have to tell your parents. which is dangerous. trust me many a legal abortion has killed women, they bleed to death. I pray God give us wisdom to intervene here! Many are young and impressionable because our society says it is alright. When they are older and married and are having another child. They don’t forget the first or 2nd or 3rd. guilt weighs heavy on them. Another opportunity for God’s love and grace to be poured out. As Christians we must recognize that God does not put a value on sin. sin is not graded it just is. The Bible talks clearly about the depth of God’s forgiveness and the depth in that we should forgive. I think by being Jesus at the well of the women or with the woman who was accused of adultery we to need to encourage repentance and sin no more. I think we are perceived as judgemental and not loving. We need to love the sinner and show them the road to God. Evangelism is loving your neighbor. This takes love and commitment and time something we are all to busy raising our children to get involved. Meet this woman on the playground or as a tutor for high schoolers. Not at an established pro -life organizing office. Maybe at the door of planned parenthood on the sidewalk offering her another option. Trust me their are homes for these children here in America. Many a women have infertility and would love a child, but there are very few to adopt. I think that we are more heading for the exile. The blood of these children cries out to God and we all know he hears. One day judgement will be ours.