Games of Chance and Circumstance

PRO-LIFE DOESN'T JUST BEGIN AT CONCEPTION

"Where have all the children gone?
Who will hear their silent song
Many never cry the tears nor learn the infant dance
Mother, won't you keep your young
or are they in the balance hung
on games of chance and circumstance?
O, save the children!

And a cry of desperation is rising up in all the land
When the cold wind blows the helpless suffer the sin.

Some will only see the grave
Who will care enough to save?
Or is the heart become too hard to love the little ones?
Mother, won't you keep your young
or are they in the balance hung
on games of chance and circumstance?
O, save the children!

And a cry of desperation is rising up in all the land
When the cold wind blows the helpless suffer the sin.

Mother, is your blood running cold?
You don't care to pay the price
The innocent have never been told
They will be the sacrifice.

And a cry of desperation is rising up in all the land
When the cold wind blows the helpless suffer the sin.

Some will end in tragedy
Some will never be set free
from games of chance
and circumstance
O, God, save the children!"

- by Mike Gleason, from the Album "Art of The State" by Kerry Livgren/AD

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

From time to time several churches in my neighborhood put up prominent signs and placards requesting that everyone "PRAY TO END ABORTION!"

Now, as noble an idea as this represents - I can't help but express my strong feelings that campaigning and pleading for this cause is an attempt to solve the wrong problem.

If you'll bear with me - I think that praying to end abortion is like praying to end hangovers or sexually transmitted diseases in that these are all symptoms of a much greater and deeper problem.

With abortion we are not just dealing with the termination of unwanted pregnancies, or the disposal of unwanted children. The problem word in the sentence is not "abortion" - it's "UNWANTED."

I'd like to suggest that we do pray about this issue. But let's pray that all children would be wanted - that they would be loved and cared for in the manner that they deserve as gifts of God. So many children that are born in the world are seen as burdens, or status symbols, or as a means for parents to live vicariously.

PRO-LIFE IS TO BE PRO-CHOICE

I stand dangerously close to offending people on both sides of the Pro-Life/Pro-Choice argument. I am not pro-abortion - but I cannot bring myself to condemn someone who makes the choice to terminate their pregnancy because of fear or unfortunate circumstances. It is not any human beings position to judge another. That is God's business.

It would be far better to give those unfortunate people who feel that they have no other choice some good reasons to change their minds - and not just a heavy dose of guilt or condemnation.

To abort something is to end it's existence. This can happen at any time from conception to maturity - physically it can occur in the womb to an unformed or early stage fetus - but it can also occur, and perhaps more painfully to the child, spiritually and emotionally, when the child is outside the womb. Whenever a child is told that it is unwanted or unloved, or experiences abuse or neglect from a trusted parent or guardian his or her life is gradually "aborted." The world has too many embodied but "aborted" children living in the world, who grow up to be broken human beings.

THE WAY OF LIFE

As I read, in the New Testament, Jesus' reported conversations with those in his society that were considered the sinners and the low-lifes of his day, I don't see a model of harsh judgment - they come to him with their own condemnation and he forgives unconditionally and often gently sends them on their way, with his blessing and firm request that they not get themselves into the situation again ("sin no more," in the biblical vernacular.)

So, let's pray - not for the end of a symptom - but for the transformation of hearts, minds and circumstances that would make it possible for every child to be wanted.