Friday, April 1, 2011

Day 3 - Week 6 - Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord."

I spent an amazing evening tonight at the CareNet annual banquet.  This banquet is a time to thank those who have helped this organization in the past, and to ask for help for their future operations.  Senator Rick Santorum spoke, and brought a message from his heart.  He spoke of his passion for defending those without a voice, unborn children.  As I sat and listened to him, and to Candy Gibbs, the Executive Director for Amarillo's CareNet center, I thought of our verse for this week. 

I know our verse this week is much more reflective of eternal death and life, but I cannot help but think that it also teaches us the concept that sin breeds death, God brings life.  Psalm 36:9 tells us that God is the giver of life...who are we to think that we can usurp His decision by snuffing out a life that He has put in place.

In this age of abortions that number approximately 1.3 million (yes, I said million) every year in the United States alone, the increasing popularity of ideas regarding euthansia for the very elderly and chronically ill, the promotion of assisted suicides, I cannot help but think that Satan is smiling at his success and that God is very disappointed that His people have taken such a weak stance in defense of life.  Psalm 82:3 instructs us to "defend the cause of the weak"...but our world says, "eliminate the weak."

Sin is serious business.  Sin cost God the life of His Son.  And yet, we become so accustomed to it, that we don't even blink an eye at most occurrences of sinfulness in our society.  We sit by and watch lives being taken without saying a word.

I understand the arguments of "when does life begin", but the best response to that question that I've heard is that abortion stops a beating heart (can't argue with that).  I understand that many have opposed abortion in very un-Christianlike ways.  Finally, I truly understand that many girls find themselves in horrible circumstances and don't see any way out other than the path of abortion and my heart so goes out to them. But I believe that's where Christians and the Church should be active, to take up the cause of those in their times of need and to turn their points of crisis into times of opportunity for us to share Christ's amazing love.  To take up the cause of the weak, to love those in need, and to reach out with the hands of Jesus to embrace.  Please do not take this message as one that condemns, but one that is an expression of love for all.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  

Thank You Lord for Your gift to us of eternal life...help us to NEVER take life for granted, to acknowledge You as the only giver of life.  Help us to reach out with Your amazing love and help those who need us, to love them as You would, and to smile everytime we see a baby, knowing that You have breathed life into another soul, a soul that you long to have in Your eternal kingdom.  It is in Christ Jesus' name we pray...AMEN!

1 comment:

donna said...

Your comments are quite thought provoking. If we only knew of God's Plan and of what form of life we take on as we live in Heaven. Does God take each of those beating hearts to live in heaven; to live in the "form" of a body - a body like we take on. A living spirit. If we only knew of God's plan. I wish the system had been all along to let a child be born and then be taken into adoption into a loving home. When did we discover abortion. And, when the elderly living in pain involved in an assisted suicide, - is this also another way for God to bring a person home to live with him like he might do in a common car crash that takes a life? I don't now----God has not presented to me a time that needed those choices. God's Love and Power is so Mighty, his wonderful Plan so large. One of the Ten Commandments is "Thou shall not kill". Does God allow the taking of an unborn unhealthy child with abnormalities. I pray for God's Love and Grace for those confronted with such decisions. God is Love and his Love provides for our eternal life.