Reverend James Lanning, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
This past Sunday, January 22, we celebrated Sanctity of Human Life Sunday (also known as Life Sunday), which was originally established to pray for the end of abortion.
For many Christians, this issue is one of the biggest battles the Church faces in our time; it is such an affront to the way God made things to be, that it is only natural to be vehemently opposed to it. As Christians, this fight against abortion is one of the worthiest causes of this age; but as we pray for the end of abortion in this country, and around the world, we must remember that there is more to pray about on Life Sunday than just the end of abortion. Life Sunday, and being pro-life, are not just about being against abortion, but also about being for life. Therefore, it is important that we make it clear that the objective of Life Sunday is not just to oppose death, but to honor the sanctity of life, affirming life from the moment of conception to a person’s last breath.
As Christians, we value life because we recognize that mankind was made in the image of God, and therefore has inherent value and dignity bestowed on us by God Himself; we therefore hate the killing of the unborn because we love the life of the child. With that said, and with the understanding that Life Sunday is not just a day to proclaim what we as Christians are against, I would like to withhold a lengthy polemic on abortion, and instead offer a series of prayers for life. Life is a great and wonderful gift from God, and therefore we pray that He would sustain and uphold life, even in the wake of the death that we brought upon the world through our sin. Please join me in prayer and reflection as I pray for life, even in the midst of situations of great pain, suffering, and death.
For those who suffer as a result of Abortion
Gracious heavenly Father, creator of all things, and author of life itself, when You created Man and Woman, You gave to them the special one-flesh union and the gift of having children. In Your love for us, You gave us the ability to share in Your work of creation, bearing and rearing children. But when mankind fell from grace, and was cursed for committing sin against You, You made a promise that all mankind would be redeemed by the birth of one special child, and that the enemy who tempted them to sin would be crushed by this promised child. Because this promise spelled the doom of Satan, he has struck out at You by convincing us to kill our children, whether infant sacrifice in ancient times, or abortion in modern times. Bring about the end of the slaughter of the most vulnerable; forgive those who have committed this act, and bring about repentance in their hearts. Console those who are victims of this horrible act, including the fathers who are given no choice or say in the matter at all. Comfort the women who get an abortion and regret what they have done; remind them that through Jesus Christ they are forgiven. Finally, Lord, we pray for those children that will never know the loving embrace of a mother’s arms, those cut from life before they ever even took a breath; Keep them, O Lord, in Your loving arms, until You restore all things, and make all things new.
Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
For those who suffer miscarriage…
For the complete article, see next week’s edition of the Centralia Fireside Guard
