Nena Arias | January 28, 2019
“…when they come to their senses … saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 6:37, 7:14)Many of us have been in the trenches for many decades working to reverse the merciless killing in the mother’s womb because we know how wrong it is. The reproach against us before God is, without a doubt, a horrendous stench that will not go unpunished because God’s justice will not sleep forever.
Needless to say, we have not seen the results of this fight that we would like to see. And, if that wasn’t enough, recently New York’s Governor, Andrew Cuomo signed a new abortion law into effect in the state on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. This law practically removed every protection that was in place for unborn babies. The law legalizes abortion for fetal abnormalities and for any other reason covered by the phrase “health of the mother,” at any stage in the pregnancy. The horrifying news is that this, isn’t as new as many seemed to think. It has been legal to abort unborn babies until the ninth month in seven states plus Washington D.C.: Alaska, Colorado, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon and Vermont. New York brings the total to eight states plus Washington, D.C.
There is one unbending reality. Before a problem can truly be resolved the root cause must be addressed. Doing away with abortion is no different. What is the root cause of abortion? Let’s say for a moment legal abortion ends, now what? Are we guaranteed that it won’t go underground and even increase or that something more horrific won’t take its place? If the root cause is not addressed and resolved, I can assure you that both will happen because evil human nature is only resolved and healed from the inside out with the healing power of God through Jesus Christ.
It is so disheartening and blood-curdling to have seen the New York legislators loudly applaud and cheer as Gov. Cuomo signed the Reproductive Health Act, that pronounced the death penalty on hundreds and thousands of unborn children merely for the crime of having been conceived through no fault of their own.
Every year since President Reagan began The Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, the national edict that declared it was permissible to kill a baby in the womb is protested against. Hundreds of thousands march either in Washington D.C. or in their own communities to protest this atrocity. Clearly, a pro-life awareness is very real in our country as undercover investigators have moved forward to flush out the greedy dark economic motives that drive those who are willing to kill babies and are not be ashamed about doing so.
It is encouraging that many Christians yearly, especially on the Sunday close to the January 22nd Supreme Court ruling, pray and protest that abortion will end. The question is, are these truly sincere prayers, and how much are Christians willing to be a vital part of answering those prayers? A caution about prayer is that we should be careful what we pray for. This is important in every age, in every issue and in every place.
Insincere prayer is offensive to God and a dangerous thing. We must examine our prayers and all that they entail: what are we asking for, and do we really want our prayers to be answered considering the responsibility answered prayers bring with them?
For example, many pray and ask for world peace. What if we had real international peace? We could probably have a great significant impact on the economy and many of us would definitely feel it. It would release men from the military and create unemployment. The huge industries that fuel and supply all the equipment that is needed to fight wars would suffer. It would rob farmers and businessmen of their secure market and create an international disaster. Of course, God has equipped humans with brains, creativity and resources to meet their needs in many ways if they are willing, but how many would be willing to reinvent their lives?
We must always consider the consequences of our prayers and be prepared to meet the needs that arise and accept the responsibility if God grants our petitions.
Prayers for justice are similar. Justice on earth would create a greater revolution than any the world has seen or imagined. Do we really want justice when we pray for it? If we do, we must be willing to live by the standards that justice demands. Everything needs to be understood in terms of how God defines them, and our petitions should be made accordingly.
We must truly consider what our responsibility is to end abortion. Immorality drives the force for most abortions. Will the sins that lead to abortion be eradicated by a stroke of a pen or a court decision? Will fornication, exploitation, and irresponsibility suddenly be absent because some law was passed and enforced? When those who pray to end abortion do not prepare for what that would be like in reality, are their prayers sincere?
Are new orphanages being built? Are Christian families preparing to foster or adopt the unwanted children. What about caring for the women, are individual Christian families seeking out women whose “men” have abandoned them and their children? If the society does not change morally and ethically at the personal and family level, what will be the aftermath of abortion becoming illegal once again? Keep in mind that abortion is killing and the Commandment “Thou shalt not kill” will be judged sooner or later. We are a nation that must turn from its wicked ways or we don’t stand a chance.
Should we continue the prayers and protests to end abortion? Absolutely! We must work the ground God has given us and seek to extend our dominion according to the Word of God. We must not wait until man’s law changes. We must work unashamedly while it is day and expect the victory.
“…when they come to their senses … saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 6:37, 7:14)