God's Love for Human Life
Scripture Reading — Matthew 18:10-14
Your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. Matthew 18:14
One Sunday afternoon after I had preached a message on abortion, I found a letter on my desk. It was written by a Detroit police officer who had been in our church that morning. He wrote, "I was disappointed by your sermon this morning. I thought your time and that of your church could have been used more profitably. Don't abuse my time telling me that abortion is wrong. Instead, talk to me about alternatives and what you are doing to promote them." I kept his letter, and I have quoted from it often. Of course we have to speak out against abortion. But how active are we in doing something about it? In what ways have we helped a single mother who is faced with an unwanted pregnancy? How much do we support agencies that provide alternatives? How many of us try to become foster parents or even consider adopting a child instead of having one more of "our own"? What are we doing to provide alternatives? What share of our income do we set aside to care for one of the little ones Jesus talks about in Matthew 18? How much of our church budget goes to support agencies that are not satisfied with merely speaking out against abortion? Ask God to help you find a way to keep even "one of these little ones" from being lost.
Father in heaven, open our eyes to the needs of your little ones. Keep us from merely pointing out what is wrong, and motivate us to act, in Jesus' name. Amen.
About the author — Arthur J. Schoonveld
Rev. Art Schoonveld is a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Before retiring in 2001, he served churches in California, Illinois, and Michigan. Since his retirement he has worked part-time for the denomination and has served as an interim pastor. Art and his wife, Anita, have four children and nine grandchildren.
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