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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

compromise on abortion

They say that politics is the art of compromise.  If so, how do you compromise on issues that seem so black and white?  Abortion rights is one of those issues that has very little room to give.  The only uncertainties that I can see are in the early days after conception.  When a woman's egg is fertilized it becomes a zygote and travels to the uterus where it becomes a Blastocyst and attaches to the uterus.  After about 3 weeks the blastocyst has become an embryo and the baby has the beginnings of all his or her organs, systems, and brain activity,   So we know there is human life after about 3 weeks but can differ about what point prior to becoming an embryo human life exists.  There is some room for compromise during that 3 week time of early pregnancy,

Is there compromise for cases where you know the child will be severely handicapped?   We all know children with Downs Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy, and other severe cases of birth defects who were permitted to live and had much to give to those who loved them.  Just because a child will not be "normal" should not disqualify that person from life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Who are we to say that this child of God should not be born?  Though I am against allowing abortion for reasons of severe handicap, I might compromise on the issue if I felt such an exception would result in more stringent laws preventing the vast majority of abortions.

There is also the issue pregnancy as a result of rape or incest.  Tragic as those events are it must be recognized that such babies are lives also.  They deserve to live.  But again, I might be willing to compromise and allow abortion for cases of rape or incest if I could get all other abortions outlawed.  Abortion for rape, incest, or severe handicap is only less than 5% of all procedures done.

Lets get busy and do what we can to limit all abortions and outlaw some. 

These battles are fought on political fronts and political tactics must be used.  We must make some compromises in order to keep public opinion on our side.  We may never get back to the pre-1972 years but we can save thousands of lives.  It is already happening.  Time Magazine recently had a cover story that talked about all the small victories the pro-life forces are having.  Pro-choice is on the run!  The right to choose abortion is a terrible thing.  What choice does the unborn baby have?  We have the high moral ground.  Lets win some battles that will eventually lead to the end of the war.  But we will have to make some compromises along the way.  And we may never get all we want.  But many babies will be spared murder.


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

He's Got the Whole World

note:  Thirteen times in the Old Testament there is a phrase mentioning "creeping things."  Apparently, there is a debate as to whether these "creeping things" are insects or small mammals like squirrels or mice.  The NLT describes them as animals that "scurry along the ground."  I'll take that one.

I'm driving along in my car and a cute little animal with a furry tail darts into the middle of the road just in front of me.  He/she makes an amazingly quick move one way, then another and disappears to one side of the the road.  I sit out on my deck and watch these same creatures frolicking in the trees.  Two squirrels chasing one another, first one way then the other.  They seem to switch directions so fast and seem to be either incredibly stupid or stupidly daring as they scurry on the road in front of speeding cars and chase each other on tree branches.

God made the squirrels.

God made squirrels and mentions that fact six times in the first 8 chapters of Genesis.

God makes lots of things and He made the squirrels.

Sometimes a life can turn on a dime.  I have had a wreak while scurrying to work.  I have injured a limb while scurrying on the racquetball court.  I have scurried my  way to bad decisions which have turned out to be exactly what God did not want to do.

God made the squirrels and He made me.

He made us all and there must be a purpose for everything.  The Lord has a plan for the squirrel and He has a plan for you and for me.

God made me and He is lovingly able to take my bad decisions and use them to accomplish His purpose.

And He made the squirrels.  I don't know why------------but He does.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

When You Don't Hear From God

There are times in our lives when we don't seem to be hearing from the Lord.  We don't sense His presence and all out communication appears to be one-way.  We want to ask, "Where are You, Lord?"  We may even begin to doubt His existence!   The Bible reminds us that such times will happen in our lives.  The last book written in the Old Testament is Malachi.  At the end of that book(and the end of the OT as well) we read these words: "...the Sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his wings.  And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture...Look, I am sending the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives.  His preaching will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers."(Mal. 4:2,5,6)  And then silence. As far as we know, God's people did not hear from God for 400 years.   They must have been wondering if the promises of God were real, or if they had heard correctly, or even if they were making up the whole thing.

Then finally, four centuries later, came these words:  "The good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God..."
Now, all of a sudden, the people were not simply hearing from God through the prophets, they were hearing directly from Him.(Heb. 1:1,2, Jn. 1:!,!4)  God was here!  He was here in the flesh!

I am preaching to myself when I tell you that you should not fret over the times in your lives when you do not seem to be hearing from the Lord.  It is true that such times should put you on your knees, bring you to the altar, and cause you to ask God if there is "any wicked way in me"(Ps. 139:24)  But sometimes the Lord is just allowing a time of testing so you can trust Him and not your feelings. 

The time of silence will come to an end.  His promises are "yes and amen" in Christ.  there will be a time of a renewed awareness of God and what He is saying to you.  The good news will come alive again and Jesus will be more real to you than ever.  And you will "go free, leaping with joy."