What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. James 2:14-16
A BLESSING COMING OUT OF THE KILLING OF CHILDREN! A TIME TO CELEBRATE! By Kirk Douglas
Now, before you pick up some stones to stone me or get the tar and feathers to ride me out on a rail, hear me out. With the latest decisions legislators have been making in the genocide of children, we as the Christian Church have received a blessing, an opportunity to celebrate that is beyond measure. The Blessing! The reason that there is a big push on more liberal abortion laws is that they are losing ground with the decline of abortions, and they know it. But what is causing the decline? The answer is, maternity residential homes and women’s pregnancy care centers.
Relevant Questions/Challenge/ Reflection Some questions we need to ask ourselves include: Are women that are dealing with an unplanned pregnancy changing their minds in killing the baby in their womb because they saw a life march? Are they reconsidering because they saw a debate or listened to a politician try to pass a bill banning abortion? Are they reconsidering because of a church body making an official statement that they value life from the womb to the tomb? I’m not saying that any of these things are wrong to be doing, they are necessary as the Christian church confesses God’s perfect word. But are those of us that have our faces on TV, social media, or having our picture taken for a publication, engaging these women who are considering an abortion? Are we engaging in love and support, so that the mother does not want to destroy the child in her or destroy herself? Are we willing to take this woman and her child in and provide for her physically, mentally, and spiritually? Its like the question James asks as he writes, “and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?” So a person might want to think as to how we can show love and care for women who are struggling in the life that they are in, as they consider the life or death of a child. The answer is simple, through supporting maternity residential homes and women’s pregnancy care centers.
Opportunity Through these life-affirming organizations, we have the opportunity to embrace these women and bring them into a loving environment so that they see unconditional love. It is imperative that we meet these women where they are at, just as Christ met us while we were dead and an enemy of His. We have the opportunity to support the organizations that create an environment that is safe for an expecting mother and their child. We have the opportunity to provide for them physically, emotionally, and above all spiritually in the love of Christ that we have for them. Celebrate! These are organizations that we get to celebrate with, as God is enabling them to impact life. We have been given an opportunity to celebrate this in our public statements, marches, and legislation. We get to hold up in praise to God for this sanctifying work that He is providing in abundance. Here is what we are celebrating. Did you know that 77% of all abortion clinics that opened since 1991 have closed? In 2017 49 abortion clinics closed with an additional 40 in 2018 closing due to the lack of women seeking out an abortion. (1)The reason for the lack of women seeking out abortion is the maternity residential homes and women’s pregnancy care centers or we would know them as Pregnancy Help Centers. Pregnancy help centers are model community-based, faith-based organizations (ecumenical in nature) serving women, youth, and families with excellence and compassion in every type of community (rural, urban, suburban, college settings) across the country. Pregnancy help centers are a shining examples of how “Love Saves Lives” and stand on their strong record of care. (2) As these organizations are living out the embodiment of Christ, they are teaching value not only of life of babies, but also the value of life of mothers and fathers. These pregnancy help centers are the loving arms of Christ to these men, women and their babies. As the Christian church, let’s celebrate with them and the great things God is accomplishing through them. We have an opportunity as the Christian Church to seek out pregnancy help centers in our regions across the United States in order to partner with them. We get to find out ways that God is going to use us to provide for this organizations in abundance, as God has given us in our gifts and volunteering. We get to share the great things that God is doing through these organizations, as we celebrate with them in our public statements of what ever platform that may be. We ultimately get to celebrate with the parents of children that have been given life.
Kirk Douglas is a proud husband, father of three, grandfather of seven, and the Shepherd of God’s children at Trinity Lutheran Church in New York Mills, Minnesota. _________________________________________________________________________________
(1) Abortion Clinics Open in 1991 Have Shut Down%20%20 LifeNews.com.html
(2) (2) https://lozierinstitute.org/fact-sheet-pregnancy-help-centers-serving-women-and-saving-lives/
