A Message from Our Pastor

Recently I had the opportunity to participate in a peaceful demonstration, whereby I joined a few others in holding up signs which communicated a biblically-centred, pro-life message. This was a maiden voyage for me, for I had never previously taken a stand, publically, on any such culturally and politically sensitive “hot button” issue. When I was asked if I would like to be involved, I didn’t hesitate to say “yes,” mostly because I felt it was the right thing to do. As I was holding up the sign I had chosen to demonstrate with, I just knew that its message was a correct one, even if those who passed by on foot or by car, might have thought otherwise. I recall asking myself as I stood with my sign, “Why and for whom I am doing this for?” Surely, I was representing my Lord and Saviour who taught in His ministry that we are to preserve and value life, for that is what God does. Then, I thought of all those who are currently in the womb but who could very well, never see the day of their birthday - on earth. I gathered that I was somehow speaking for them as well. The abortion issue also carries with it, a personal connection for me in my own history. I knew someone whom I cared for very much, who over twenty years ago, decided to abort their pregnancy. They were never the same afterwards. The event of an abortion is a tragic event in itself, and has the potential to be a tremendously devastating burden for the entire family who often absorbs the ensuing emotional and psychological ramifications that follow. The spiritual reverberations also reach up into to Heaven. If all the angels “rejoice” when one person “turns from sin to eternal life,” they, along with God, then, must weep when one chooses to end life, whether it is by abortion or even suicide. No one on the face of the earth is perfect. We all make mistakes of many kinds, and yet no one has the sovereign right to take life, except God as our Creator. At the same time, it is unkind to render a wholesale judgement upon a person for their decision to end a life, whether it be their own, or that of an unborn child. We don’t know every situation, nor have we walked in their shoes. However, we must bring God’s healing and directive Word into the realm of all social maladies and tragedies, including those who have been directly affected by such an event as an abortion. On the surface, it can appear to be a “cold” thing to simply hold up a sign that speaks forth a message against the pro-choice position, without having the opportunity to engage in dialogue with people. Perhaps there are people we would rather not engage with on this acutely divisive issue. Someone who drove by us that day while we were demonstrating yelled out something that I am sure - could not be repeated on this page! The chances that we were going to win someone over that day, and change their pro-choice views - were no doubt slim, not impossible, but slim nonetheless. Only God can change a heart on any given issue that separates someone from Him, and He can use many things, even our demonstrating to do it. Having said that, we must remain vessels that correctly communicate His character of mercy and love to every person and situation we encounter. Unfortunately, that is difficult to accomplish while holding a sign form a distance. They can only see our message, not our hearts. Suffice it to say, that our harmful choices in life, our (sin), whatever it may be, can be forgiven. Any sin can be. Abortion is not the root problem in society, it is indicative of a deeper rooted problem: our depreciated value for the life God has given us. In general, that is why we don’t see many people turning from sin these days. That is also why we hurt ourselves, and that is why we harm others in this world. If we could all capture what is the miracle of human conception in the womb, and in addition to that, the extraordinary life-giving nature of the sacrifice Jesus made for us in the Cross - then quite possibly, we would have no need to hold up signs anymore about any social issue. The demonstration I was involved in left me with a very gratifying feeling. I would do it again. I spoke up for life that day, and even though it may not have a made any difference – I still chose to speak up. In respecting someone’s “freedom of choice” (of which we must) we cannot at the same time, disrespect our own freedom to speak up about that choice. “Life,” in some respects, depends on it.