Abortion is a MERCY issue

So here's a thought that's been provoking me lately: "Abortion is a mercy issue."

It's a thought that comes from my understanding of Micah 6:8. The verse reads, "He (God) has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." If you look closely, the whole verse hangs on the revelation of the goodness of God. The goodness of God is not discovered by man, but made known by God through revelation.

The goodness of God is shocking. The goodness of God insists that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. The goodness of God made the Perfect Son of Heaven who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in the Son we might become the righteousness of God. The goodness of God assures us that He will place us like a seal over His heart and His arm, and that the fire of His love for us is unquenchable. The goodness of God gives us the gift of "no condemnation" first, and then tells us to go and sin no more. The goodness of God redeems us from the pit and crowns us with love and compassion.

I can go on and on and on. But the point is HE has shown us what is good! And He has shown us more than just good things, He has shown us HIMSELF. He has shown us His character, His nature - the core of His being.

Moses experienced the giving of The 10 Commandments and it was a spectacular event. But for some reason, Moses knew that the glory of God was more than that. He beseeches God later on, "Show me your glory!" And what was God's response? "I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim My Name." The goodness of God is the glory of God!

So Micah 6:8 begins with, "He has shown you what is good." In other words, God has revealed Himself to you - He has revealed the center of His heart to you and shown you that at the nucleus of everything we know, we will discover the glory of His goodness.

Herein lies the difference between secular, humanistic justice and biblical, godly justice: one is defined by the principles of man and the other by the goodness of God. There is a lot more to be said regarding this, but I must save it for another time. Nevertheless, a Christian involved in justice issues must be theologically founded on the goodness of God. The judgments of God will one day end, but not the goodness of God. The goodness of God will continue to exist as long as He exists.

For me to say, then, that abortion is a mercy issue is not a backing down from the claim that it is also a justice issue. Abortion IS a justice issue. But God-glorifying justice biblically demands that I also treat abortion as a MERCY issue. That's why we adopt. That's why we foster care. That's why take care of the orphans and the fatherless. That's why we speak healing to women who have been damaged by abortion. That's why we have hope that one day abortion will end and the tragedy for women, men, and babies will end - the glorious mercies of the goodness of God.

Writing for the glory of God in the Pro-Life movement.

The Glory of God in the Praying Pro-Life Movement

"The evangelization of the world in this generation depends, first of all, upon a revival of prayer.  Deeper than the need for men; deeper, far, than the need for money; aye, deep down at the bottom of our spiritless life is the need for the forgotten secret of prevailing worldwide prayer."

Robert E. Speer

I can still feel the shockwaves of the impact of this quote the first time I collided with it.  The glory and the fame and the renown of His Name, and the joy it produces amongst the people who receive and bask in it, is the open desire and compelling vision of every heart that confesses Jesus Christ as Lord.  It's called the evangelization of the world - the winning and calling forth of every individual and people group to the fold and oversight of The Great Shepherd, Jesus.

I believe a parallel quote can be applied to the God-centered Pro-Life Movement.  "The abolition of abortion in this generation depends, first of all, upon a revival of prayer."  The turning of the hearts of the fathers and mothers to the children in our generation will have to be a supernatural work, and the divine work of turning parents' hearts can only be conceived and sustained in and through prayer.

So today, my heart rejoices!  History has always belonged to the intercessor.  A God-centered Pro-Life Movement must have prayer as it's core mandate for it to be truly God-centered, God-glorifying, and God-sustained.  If you're an intercessor and reading this, may your life be a spark that ignites a massive revival of prayer, in Jesus' Name.

The Glory of God in the Pro-Life Movement

I think it's possible that one day, in Australia, abortion will be such a critical issue that governments will be established and judged based on their stand and response to it. Abortion is a national tragedy that cannot be avoided. My conviction is that the more Christians understand abortion based on Scripture, the more we will feel God's merciful heart on the issue and His burning zeal to release His justice on the earth, which then allows us to speak with clarity and move with compassion and influence cultural transformation.

I think the issue of abortion is about the glory of God, full stop. How do we mobilize a Pro-Life Movement that is Christ-centered and God-glorifying? Is it necessary? I think it is.

The Pro-Life Movement is not necessarily about the preborn's right to live, although that is an important aspect of the cause. It is primarily about God's glory in the life of the preborn child. People refer to it as the "sanctity" of human life. Human life is sanctified or holy when God is acknowledged as the Creator, Author, and Life-Giver. When a preborn child is aborted, it suppresses this foundational truth. God as Creator, Author, and Life-Giver, is no longer supreme over the life of the preborn.

This makes me believe that abortion is the pivotal justice issue of our generation. How can we truly believe that other injustices against human life can be overcome when life at its most vulnerable and defenseless stage is easily aborted? Is it easier to defend life that we can see (i.e. life outside the womb), over life that we can't see (i.e. life in the womb)? Isn't life, life? I can only imagine what will happen if all invisibile and defenseless and vulnerable life in the womb are loved and nurtured and protected and empowered to live -- how will that affect the way we engage other justice issues?

If a Pro-Life organization or group or ministry is not established on this premise, in my opinon, it underestimates and trivializes the Pro-Life cause. It becomes humanistic, man-centered. There's nothing sinful about that, but that's not what I'm blogging for, not what I'm fighting and advocating for. I advocate for the life of the most marginalized sector of society who have no voice - yes. And more than that, the glory of God who creates and authors all life, and life at every stage.

So, how to mobilize a Christ-centered, God-glorifying Pro-Life Movement? My answer is to teach and proclaim the jealousy of God's heart for His glory to be manifested in all things. To me, that's the theological starting point. To me, that's the only true, bankable hope the world has. His burning desire is to manifest the glory of His Name so that all people might bask in the blessings of His glory. God performs justice not only because He is just, but also because injustice stands in the way of revealing and releasing His glory.

Abortion will one day end. But God will not. Abortion is about the preborn and babies and, exceedingly more, God and His glory! That is not a statement that downplays the urgency for abortion's ending. Instead, it should create the theological runway upon which Christians launch themselves to engage this critical issue. May our eyes be opened to and fixed on the glory of God in the Pro-Life Movement.