DAY OF PRAYER for the LEGAL PROTECTION of

UNBORN CHILDREN

JANUARY 22, 2016

This article was first published last year at this time. It is as applicable now as it was then. Please note the prayer at the end of the article, and let’s join our hearts and voices together as we go before the Lord.

HISTORY OF THE DAY

PAST LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS

The origin of the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children is connected to the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision that took place in 1973. The case sought to extend the individual’s “right to privacy” which had been affirmed in 1965, in the case “Griswold vs. Connecticut”. 

The individual “right to privacy” was pitted against the “compelling interest” of the states to regulate abortions. The arguments involved referred to Constitutional rights to privacy… the existence of the fetus as a “person” (and how, precisely, a “person” is defined—in or out of the womb).  

Questions and arguments arose as to exactly whose health and safety the state has power to protect… and precisely who is the "who" who has a legal “right to life”. (Specifically, what defines personhood?) It ruled that the Constitution’s reference to “person” does not include a fetus, in utero… The decision was upheld and further defined by the Supreme Court in 1992.

MORE CURRENT ANALYSIS

A recent book, written by Clarke D. Forsythe, has examined, in detail, the court papers that describe the decision process used by the justices in that decision. His book, Abuse of Discretion: The Inside Story of Roe v. Wade, reveals that some astonishing evidence was overlooked.

“Judges based their decision about the legality of abortion based upon claims, such as ‘abortion is safer than childbirth’ made by pro-choice advocacy groups without any medical studies supporting those claims… Forsythe provides the details in his chapter three, ‘The Red Flags the Justices Ignored: The Embarrassing Arguments in the Abortion Cases.”… “The claim that abortion is safer than childbirth was ‘at the very heart of the deliberations and decision in the abortion cases’ (pg. 156).” [All quotes from this paragraph are from an article by Napp Nazworth, a Christian Post reporter. The article was dated October 30, 2013, 5:30 a.m.]

The “safety “of abortion has been shown to be far from safe. “Women who have had an abortion, for instance, are at greater risk of having a preterm or low birth weight baby in pregnancies following an abortion. They are also more likely to suffer from the depression or substance abuse, and to attempt suicide or to harm themselves. “[Ibid]

Issues clearly remain in regard to the presentation of solid evidence—even evidence from newer studies and medical records—that are available since the Roe vs. Wade decision was made… including “medical studies showing the impact of abortion on women, and the advances in science which have led to a better understanding of fetal development and to views inside the womb with ultrasound.” [Ibid]

Taking another look at more of the issues involved in these legal decisions could come to pass if any new abortion cases were heard. A decision to hear new cases requires the agreement of four or more Supreme Court Justices.

THE DAY OF PRAYER

The Day of Prayer for the Unborn is coming up this week and is marked by events in Washington, D.C. on Friday, January 22nd. (The official site declares that these events will take place even if a winter storm hits, as predicted by weather professionals). 

We are long familiar with the fact that this occasion gets national attention. But how do these national events affect us personally? What does it matter to me? What can I do? Are some of us getting “weary in our doing good”? Have we grown tired of the subject?

The focus of the prayer day has been prayer for the legal changes needed to outlaw the killing of the unborn in the United States (and elsewhere). In the meantime—while laws prevent the protection of the innocent in the womb—what can be done?

Where, exactly, IS our focus? Where does it need to be? Are we seeing what we need to see? In praying, then… How do we get to the “heart” of the issues? There are so many people and things to pray about in regard to these pro “life” issues!

The culture of death is clearly manifested in the prevalence of the abortion industry, but—as we are aware—abortion is as much a symptom and a sign of this culture as it is an horrendous issue, in and of itself. The destruction and death that this "cancerous" culture represents is deeper and broader and more insidious than the existence of all the detailed, repugnant facts about abortion. The culture of death is bigger than all the innumerable personal stories—which we have no way to measure in terms of innocent, atrocious devastation. (This devastation is not just to the unborn child, but--realizing it or not--to the relatives, the medical professionals, and all who may be knowingly or unknowingly affected by this "private" act.  

The culture of death includes many other aspects of our American and modern culture, worldwide—and shapes the thinking, the priorities, the attitudes, the values and the choices of all of us who live in our “enlightened modern” culture. It creates a climate that makes the battle for life more difficult.

DEVELOPING PRAYER IN THE MIDST OF IT ALL

When people are serious about finding right and good and even holy answers to problems that seem overwhelming, we can sometimes FOCUS on what we need to do and too little toward what God, Himself can do. In the midst of His might and power, He is the One to turn to for help to overcome destructive forces and bring new life.

The struggles that we face amidst horrific evil can distract us from the greatness of God’s goodness. His loving desire IS to help, heal and deliver us from evil. Jesus told us that very directly in the "Our Father".

We can feel overwhelmed, and, frankly, too tired of facing the evil to look long enough and hard enough at the face of our Almighty and totally loving God. We can forget that He is amazingly able to work wonders—to supply need and bring life. We can get so pre-occupied with the hard work that we need to do, that we miss asking (often enough!) for His interventions in the ugly places in this world in which we labor.

We look for answers that come from our direction toward God and others. Doing what we can is a great thing. Being instruments of love toward others is vital in our world. It is totally necessary in every fight for life. But—is it a good time to admit that we truly need more here? … that we may need the help of our God described by Isaiah as the “God-Hero” [Isa. 9:5]… the Person of the Way, the Truth and the Life [Jn. 14:6]?

We can ask for every form of grace, courage, and boldness—knowing that the immensity of His goodness goes way beyond our understanding. We can pray (even with just a mustard seed of confidence!!) and ask more boldly than we ever have before… To get our eyes off of merely what we are doing to wrestle against the complexities and immensities of the culture of death for a moment… and ask Him for a mighty outpouring that goes far, far past what we feel worthy of, cognizant of, or able to receive. “I raise my eyes toward the mountains. From where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” [Psalm 121:1-2]

Shall we ask for a mighty, merciful, glorious move of our totally unlimited God? May we—this January—ask, and cry, and keep on asking our gracious God to go far beyond the wonderful ways He has helped us previously? … to go beyond how He has graced and helped each and every person involved in any way in promoting and protecting life as He intends it? 

“So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” [Hebr. 4:16]. May we courageously and boldly go before Him and cry out for things beyond what we can ask or think. (He “is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine…” [Eph.3:20]! May we—more than ever—throw the ball in His court, thanking Him for ALL the ways He has helped us, but requesting more. More? Yes, more!

We need the manifested glory of the One Who is the Way, the Truth, and the L-I-F-E to make a way, open eyes/minds/ hearts to the truth, and sovereignly bring a wave and flood of life beyond what any of us have seen or known or imagined. 

So… Let us begin to pray…

A PRAYER

…FOR THE DAY OF PRAYER for the Legal Protection of Unborn 

Children

So we ask, Lord… We turn humbly to You for strength… We intercede in conjunction with every other intercessor, and in behalf of every leader and every person involved on every level in the struggle for the culture of LIFE… We ask that You enable us to become stronger and more vibrant again… heal us and restore us in the areas where we are weary from paying the cost of this battle for life. Your word says that You help us be both willing and able to do what pleases You. We come to You and lean on You for renewed strength and wisdom.

May a mighty wave of Your Holy Spirit sweep across this land, producing and promoting the abundant life You died to give. May Your power be mightily manifest in every cause for LIFE, particularly the lives of unborn children, and in those who work to protect them.

May Your Holy Spirit, the Comforter, be much with the mothers and fathers—even grandparents and other family members—of aborted babies, as they face the loss, the grief and the side effects of abortion--whether they are aware of the destructive effects or not. May every woman‘s choice against having this “procedure” as the “easy” answer in her life become a vigorous statement for life.

We ask for Your favor and blessing on every encouraging voice, every helping hand, each caring heart and each listening ear that has helped her and her child, or has valued life at any age.

When we feel the heaviness and the hideousness of the evil we face, may we remember to sing in our hearts of Your goodness—that Your love endures forever. We ask for an abundance of Your mercy on all those participating in the killing of the unborn, that their eyes would be opened, their hearts softened, their minds renewed to truth, and to new and true LIFE. We cry out, O God, for a sovereign, powerful manifestation of Your glory… We ask for “more than we can … imagine or think”. We ask for a move as real and mighty and victorious as Your own resurrection—applied as far and wide as You desire.

We ask for Your kingdom to come; Your will to be done here, on earth, as it is in heaven.

We gratefully ask that You (O Way, Truth, and Life!) make a way—even where there seems to be no way—for an unprecedented move of Your power to give, bring and restore LIFE. We ask for Your glory to be manifested to bring Your love, healing, truth, light and life into our broken, blind, self-involved world.

When we are together, may we raise our voices in unison with others... And when we feel alone in our battles, may we silently lift our hearts to You. When praying alone, we ask You to join our requests with multitudes of other prayers, remembering others who are also Your co-laborers in these fields.

Through the merits of Your Son, we join together with one another by the power of the Holy Spirit, in a mighty, united cry for Your victory here.

May the seriousness of our work never keep us from rejoicing in Your unending goodness, Your daily mercies, and Your passionate, compassionate love.

And we give You all the glory and honor, thanks and praise. Amen. So be it.

This week there will be those travelling to Washington to make (and/or to hear) some well-chosen speeches; to engage in shared strategies; and to pray fervent prayers together.