If you’re just joining us, click here to see what this prayer team is all about! While we are a “pro-life” prayer team, we, IN NO WAY, stand in judgment against those who have chosen abortion in the past! We hold you and your heart in the highest esteem and you are SO WELCOME here. Many women (and men) who’ve experienced abortion often hold onto the memory in silence, suppressing feelings of guilt, shame and grief for, quite often, years. If this describes you, and you would like more information on how to find hope and healing, please visit this site, or click on the “contact me” button above.

On last week’s post, I had another comment from my “anonymous” commenter. While we are not always in agreement, she does keep me on my toes and constantly reviewing what I believe about the many facets of the abortion issue; for that, I am grateful! It’s a good thing to stay fresh and discuss our differences, with love and respect, so that we can hopefully reach solutions that work.

The question she posed last week will be one that will come up more and more frequently, as those who wish to see the end of legal abortion are more vocal about their desires. I’m going to publish part of her comment today, so that you can be thinking about how you would respond in such a conversation.

“Just wondering, if, in time, it is illegal to have an abortion, do you believe that [the] person breaking God’s law and man’s law should be locked up the rest of her life? You exert so much effort in this cause, I respect that and admire that. As you have stated so many times, the emotional aftermath is a mental prison for the offender anyway, the physical prison serves as a place to keep one from further harming society at large. How in heavens name can you justify a physical prison (the place we send murderers) the appropriate place for those who have made a clearly wrong choice and, in most cases, not intended to hurt or defile or seek vengance?”

As I told her (you can read the entire conversation here), I don’t believe that, once abortion is illegal, that a woman who chooses abortion should go to prison. I believe that those who provide abortions should be the ones who are prosecuted. They are the ones that would threaten “further harm to society” and must be stopped. My friend, Pat Layton, responded to “Anonymous” as well, with these eloquent words:

“Women are the VICTIMS when it comes to the lie of abortion. They are being sold the untrue “hope” that the destruction of their innocent unborn child will bring peace or closure to a difficult situation. Neither is true. In fact, the violent and invasive procedure of abortion becomes a permanent loss of both the innocent life of a child and the natural heart of protection built by God into a mother, not to mention the physical risks involved for the woman.

NOTHING good comes from abortion.

In my opinion, abortion is a violation of the commitment to PROTECT life taken by a medical professional. The abortionist is the one who should be persecuted for such a violation against women and their babies.”

Finally, in a link I sent to “Anonymous”, I found this quote from Father Frank Pavone, of Priests for Life:

“…The fact is that to be pro-life is to be pro-woman. We don’t say ‘love the baby and forget about the mother.’ Rather, we ask, ‘Why can’t we love them both?’ This is not just true when abortion is legal. It’s also true when it’s illegal. The pro-life movement is not out to punish women. Our goal, instead, is to stop child-killing.”

I think there are a LOT of people in the pro-choice camp that feel pro-lifers don’t have women’s best interests at heart. I think it’s important that we let them know that we’re pro-lifers because we love unborn babies AND their mothers (and fathers), praying against the victimization of BOTH – not out of a place of judgment or condemnation, but from a heart of love.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS

The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
Isaiah 9:2 NLT

Father God, we come to You today – many believers, one voice – to stand for life. Lord, as we stand in the gap for the unborn and their mothers (and fathers), and verbalize our thoughts aloud, help us to examine our minds and make sure that we are praying and speaking from a heart of love for all concerned, and not from a place of judgment. Only from a place of love will we be able to shine YOUR light and penetrate the darkness. And, Father, even as we pray for accountability for those who perpetuate the abortion industry, help us to remember to pray first, and foremost, for their salvation and from a heart of love for them, as well. Wash our society clean of this blight, Father. Heal us and heal our land. Believing You will change one heart for many, we pray in the MIGHTY, LIFE-GIVING NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. Amen.