Roe v. Wade Memorial Rally

A few years back a neighbor gal, who was a nurse, met me in our front-yard and she and I began to talk about the realities of abortion and my view that we ought to protect the life of a baby in the womb. She was outraged at me for holding to such a position.

Her comments went something like this, “You Christians are so outspoken about being against abortion but you have no idea of the hardship that some of these families experience if they carry their babies to full term. What chance do they have if they attempt to raise their baby?”

I said here at Rolling Hills we believe that we must stand for what is right even if it means to stand against what is morally wrong. However, that is not the total picture.

I went on to tell her that in our Church we have had families that have taken pregnant un-wed mothers into their homes provided proper housing, and even paid for their pregnancy medical expenses. I also told her that over the years we have provided the names and contacts of families that wish to adopt children if the mother so desires. Over the years I have connected un-wanted babies with loving and caring families.

As I communicated with my neighbor her attitude and demeanor changed right before my eyes.

She said, “Well I think you are the exception.” I said, No we are not. There are 100’s of people that believe and practice what I am saying to you.

Then she went on to say, “You mean you actually have families that are willing to do this?” I said not only willing but also they are doing it!

In Romans 14:21 is right when it says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

As Disciples of Christ if we are to overcome the evil of abortion we must be pro-active by doing good and that is exactly what Pregrency Resource Centers are doing.

Most of us have heard the phrase “Christians should be known for what we stand for not what we stand against.”

I would like to suggest that it ought to be both.

According to 3 John 1:11 and Ephesians 6:11,the Bible is also very clear that we must not follow evil and that we must stand against evil. Of course we as followers of Christ ought to be known for what we stand for but we must also be known for what we stand against.

The two must go hand in hand.

In Psalm 139:13-15 the Psalmist gives a vivid description of the baby in the womb of the mother.

Verse 13 says, “You (Oh, God) have covered me” (that is shielded me) which is a beautiful metaphor for the marvelous protection of the embryonic child while growing in the womb.

In verse 14 the psalmist stops and is overwhelmed with amazement at God’s creation when he says, “I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made”

In verse 15 it says, “My substance… was made in secret,” that is in the womb hidden from normal eye-sight and the substance consists of the basic skeletal frame and the growth of the embryo with all it organs and extremities.

It also says in verse 15 that the baby’s body was “curiously wrought” or woven. This Hebrew word means to be embroidered, which is a striking description of the double-helical DNA molecular program, which organizes, part by part, the beautiful structure of the whole infant.

Of course we must over come evil with good but we must also clearly stand against evil—the evil of destroying the lives of God’s creation in the womb.

Many years ago a young married man and woman became pregnant with their third child. The mother-in-law insisted that the young mother abort the child. She would continue to criticize the mother and tenaciously tell her to not carry the baby to term. The young mother refused to submit to her demands. She would cry out to Christ in prayer for her little baby in her womb and one day she felt like the Spirit of God was going to give her a son. She also had a growing sense of peace and conviction that her son would some day become a man of God that would serve Christ ministry.

When the boy was born the grandmother never held her grandson, and she also refused to call the child by his name.

That young boy grew up and went into the ministry just as his Mother believed and has impacted hundreds of people with the Good News of the Kingdom of God. He became a Pastor and to this day he is the Pastor of one of the anchor churches in the city; it’s actually the city of Portland. That boy whose grandmother wanted him aborted was I.

Yes, we must overcome evil with good but we must also stand against evil.

Of course mothers have the freedom to choose. But we appeal to their conscience and the conscience of the governing body to choose life.