Pro Life

I love babies, anyone who knows me, knows I love looking at adorable baby pictures, tiny little outfits, holding little fingers snuggles. And every time I hold a baby I think of God and remember and am thankful that He's the author of all life, it's so amazing to learn about child development - from conception and on wards because it's a total display of God's glory!

Around this time of year, I'm especially heartbroken by the thought of abortion. This may be a strange thing to think of and pair up with the Christmas season - I could write a blog post attacking commercialism of this season but I'm not going to go there.

When I think of the baby in the manger sometimes I think of mothers who feel ashamed that they're pregnant, of those who can't afford the cost of having and raising a child, for those who were assaulted and raped, those who for any reason feel like they have no other option. And yes, it does make me angry to know that in many cases that little life is going to be snuffed out because destroying the life is destroying a part of God's masterpiece and a piece of His very own heart.

But mostly, it makes me have compassion on all those mothers who have had to face the decision.
I had a dream a few months ago and in this dream I faced that decision  and I wept for a long time after I woke up. I know I haven't had to face such a situation in reality, but many have, and that dream was so real to me that I think I can start to understand the emotions of such a reality.  It was truly terrifying.

While the killing of unborn children and destruction of life is horrible and wrong I also think of another reason that makes the thought of abortions burden my heart.

I believe God the Father loves His son Jesus more than anything else in the universe.

And I know that God chose to place His son in a womb for 9 months as the safest, most secure place that He would ever be. From the time Jesus was born He was hunted down by Herod and then eventually by religious leaders trying to take His life, the womb was the place where He was safe. And to violate that sacred place, and kill any life in it... is heartbreaking.




* I want to add that Abortion isn't a stand alone issue, and that "Pro Life" doesn't just mean Pro Life until a baby is born. It also means helping those families who do choose life - when maybe, the decision was hard to make. It means helping feed and clothe them and to help improve that life of the child and parents if it is in your power to do so.


And so as I sit on Christmas eve and think about Jesus in a small baby body, as a toddler, a teen, an adult -  I'm pretty thankful for life!

Remember

It's exam season and that means I'm burdened with test reviews from five different teachers on six different subjects of all the things I need to remember!
But perhaps burdened is the wrong word. I know there is a reason that my teachers want and need me to remember the majority of the things I'm learning... because it will be helpful and beneficial to me in my future career.

In the same way God asks us not to forget some  important things that will be beneficial and helpful to us, which is why throughout the bible He has continual reminders to help us remember.



I've composed a list of four things God asks us not to forget, so here they are:

1. Do Not Forget The Lord  
    This one seems like a no brainer but Chapter 8 of Deuteronomy is dedicated to this. God through the remainder of this book is going to give them a collection of laws surrounding their worship, theirs leaders, priests and kings as well as laws on civil life and social justice. So if they're about to get all these laws directly FROM God doesn't that mean they'll automatically remember Him?

Nope, and it's clear throughout the wandering in the desert, as the people go through their daily life they get caught up in the routine, they complain, they wonder why they are in the middle of a desert.

 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,  and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,  then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
[Deuteronomy 8:11-14] 

 

WE do this as we go about our daily life too, we forget that He's a part of it, that He's the very reason for life. And so God reminds them and reminds us -  I am here - providing for you daily and I intend to bless you.  


2.  Do Not Forget His Laws, Commandments and Teaching
  Constantly through both the Old and New testament God is telling us to remember His laws, commandments and teaching.

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity 

[Proverbs 3:1-2]  

“If you love me, keep my commands..." [John 14:15]

God wants us to live holy lives pleasing to Him. Unfortunately if we don't know or remember these teachings we tend to make up our own version of it, based on what we 'kinda' remember, eventually we only remember the basics and do only what is easy, what suits us, and what everyone else in the world is doing. God gives us these laws, commandments and teachings because they ARE trustworthy and they preserve our (spiritual) lives.


3. Do Not Forget The Message You Have Heard
   This one is interconnected to the previous two. We must remember Him and His teachings because they are part of His message, who He is (Father, Son, Spirit) and His teachings reveal His character.

The message is this: His plan of salvation available to all and redemption of the human race through Christ.

This message is TRUE. But it means little if we know about God or know His teaching as a list of rules but don't understand the real purpose behind knowing it. God sent His own son because He wanted us to know this message and remember it, to hold onto when the trails come because when we don't  remember, to put it very simply: our lives will lack any meaning at all.



4. Do Not Forget That He Will Not Forget You 
  People fear being alone, lonely or unloved. We tend to feel this way when we think or feel like everyone has forgotten about us. Going back to the last three points: Why would we care or even want to remember someone and their message/teachings if we think they will forget about us after a while? We wouldn't, and so we forget about that person too and whatever it was that they may have taught.
But God has made covenants and promises to His people that He upholds. I can imagine that it's difficult to forget the people who are engraved on the palm of your hands [Isaiah 49:16], or those that you said you would be with until the end of the age [Matthew 28:20] or One who has promised over and over again to never leave us or forsake us. 

Because He remembers us, loves us and asks us to remember these things, are more than enough reason to do so!