Week of Monday January 27 – February 2
Standing Courageous for Life! – Man as Defender
Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” - Jeremiah 1:4-8 ESV
I have always found the call of Jeremiah encouraging. Here at the beginning of his powerful book of prophecy, we are provided with a clear picture of God’s perspective on human life’s beginnings. Not only that, this passage of Scripture teaches us that God created all of us with a divine plan in mind. God’s plan for Jeremiah was the monumental task of serving as His spokesman in an increasingly ungodly culture. Carrying out this mission would require great courage, but God assured Jeremiah that He would be with him every step of the way.
This call to stand courageously and speak God’s transcendent truth is relevant to all men of God today.
In this passage, God speaks about having sovereign plans for Jeremiah even before he was born. And yet, in America today, we continue to see the pernicious push to terminate God-given life in the womb. It makes you wonder: how many people who could have made positive contributions to society have been lost due to abortion?
I am privileged to serve as the executive vice president for Family Research Council, which actively defends preborn human life. Our Center for Human Dignity communicates clearly and concisely the great dignity and worth of every human life in its statement of belief:
We believe that God, the Author of Life, has created every person in His image. Therefore, all people have inherent dignity and worth, and every human being has the right to life. The value of human life is not conditional upon its usefulness to others or the state, or an arbitrary evaluation of “quality of life.” Instead, it is unconditional and is inextricably tied to us being God’s image-bearers.
It follows, then, that every preborn baby God lovingly creates in the womb must be defended. Just as God had in mind a monumental mission for Jeremiah before he was born—one that affected many lives and even the future of a nation—God has entrusted us as Defenders with the task of protecting the unborn in a culture that does not value them.
Consider what I wrote in Man to Man:
The question is, if a man is called to be a defender, is he supposed to get engaged in the whole issue of Right to Life?... There is no one more helpless, no one more innocent than an unborn baby, moving in the embryonic sac and totally dependent on the mother. They are the most vulnerable of humankind… If you’re a man don’t forget for a minute, you’re meant to be a defender of those who can’t defend themselves. That’s why you can’t turn away, stand aside, or choose to watch from afar what is happening and do nothing about it. You, as a man came out of the womb called to be a warrior!
As warriors for Christ, it behooves us to take a strong stand for the sanctity of human life using all the influence we have been given. Men, stand courageous for life!
- In what ways are you taking a biblical stand for life in your realm of influence and leadership? Are you actively supporting or volunteering at your local crisis pregnancy center?
- Do you stay aware of state and local issues that affect the sanctity of life?
- Pray and ask God to give you the courage to stand and defend those who cannot defend themselves.
Standing Courageous for Life! – Man as Defender
Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” - Jeremiah 1:4-8 ESV
I have always found the call of Jeremiah encouraging. Here at the beginning of his powerful book of prophecy, we are provided with a clear picture of God’s perspective on human life’s beginnings. Not only that, this passage of Scripture teaches us that God created all of us with a divine plan in mind. God’s plan for Jeremiah was the monumental task of serving as His spokesman in an increasingly ungodly culture. Carrying out this mission would require great courage, but God assured Jeremiah that He would be with him every step of the way.
This call to stand courageously and speak God’s transcendent truth is relevant to all men of God today.
In this passage, God speaks about having sovereign plans for Jeremiah even before he was born. And yet, in America today, we continue to see the pernicious push to terminate God-given life in the womb. It makes you wonder: how many people who could have made positive contributions to society have been lost due to abortion?
I am privileged to serve as the executive vice president for Family Research Council, which actively defends preborn human life. Our Center for Human Dignity communicates clearly and concisely the great dignity and worth of every human life in its statement of belief:
We believe that God, the Author of Life, has created every person in His image. Therefore, all people have inherent dignity and worth, and every human being has the right to life. The value of human life is not conditional upon its usefulness to others or the state, or an arbitrary evaluation of “quality of life.” Instead, it is unconditional and is inextricably tied to us being God’s image-bearers.
It follows, then, that every preborn baby God lovingly creates in the womb must be defended. Just as God had in mind a monumental mission for Jeremiah before he was born—one that affected many lives and even the future of a nation—God has entrusted us as Defenders with the task of protecting the unborn in a culture that does not value them.
Consider what I wrote in Man to Man:
The question is, if a man is called to be a defender, is he supposed to get engaged in the whole issue of Right to Life?... There is no one more helpless, no one more innocent than an unborn baby, moving in the embryonic sac and totally dependent on the mother. They are the most vulnerable of humankind… If you’re a man don’t forget for a minute, you’re meant to be a defender of those who can’t defend themselves. That’s why you can’t turn away, stand aside, or choose to watch from afar what is happening and do nothing about it. You, as a man came out of the womb called to be a warrior!
As warriors for Christ, it behooves us to take a strong stand for the sanctity of human life using all the influence we have been given. Men, stand courageous for life!
- In what ways are you taking a biblical stand for life in your realm of influence and leadership? Are you actively supporting or volunteering at your local crisis pregnancy center?
- Do you stay aware of state and local issues that affect the sanctity of life?
- Pray and ask God to give you the courage to stand and defend those who cannot defend themselves.