Chandra White-Cummings
Day 9: First Things First
Today’s reading calls us to pray for those women who have had an abortion. One of the biggest points of contention between pro-life and pro-abortion camps is the post-abortion issue. Should women regret having an abortion? Is post-abortion syndrome real? Should women who experience emotional or psychological problems after an abortion receive treatment specifically related to the abortion itself, rather than generalized sadness and depression? The list goes on. I think maybe we’ve put the cart before the horse in all this. Often it’s a tough sell to even convince people that abortion is wrong, which of course makes unlikely any discussions about healing or restoration. And maybe that’s the problem-we’re trying to do the convincing.
We pro-lifers know it’s imperative to restore a standard of life in this country. But it’s equally vital that we help restore a standard of right and wrong. The simple fact of the matter is that no woman will seek post-abortion ministry if she doesn’t see the need. We too often assume that all it should take is well-reasoned arguments that include the current facts and figures. But as notions of sin and accountability recede into the background of our cultural landscape, it becomes painfully obvious that something more is needed. We need the Holy Spirit.
John 16:8 tells us that the Holy Spirit convicts of sin and God’s righteousness. Bingo. We need the Holy Spirit to empower us so that when we talk to women, they will be convinced of the sin of abortion, convicted of that sin if it applies to them, and persuaded that the righteousness of God is the proper standard by which to judge their situation. I’ve heard some skillful presenters and apologists who can deliver an airtight argument. But I’ve also heard stories of women and men weeping uncontrollably after hearing a very simple confession of a post-abortive woman in a parking lot. The power of God is what makes the difference.
Find out more at the 40 Days for Life website.
Previous Posts
• Day 8: In the Power of Our Hand
• Day 7: Somebody Prayed for Them
• Day 6: Knowing Us
• Day 5: Mercy in the Midst of Judgment
• Day 4: Not for the Faint of Heart
• Day 3: The Unborn Child as Lazarus?