This Friday, January 22, 2010, marks 37 years since Roe v. Wade and the legalization of abortion in America. Since then, over 50 million babies have been aborted. 50 million lives! That’s more than the combined populations of 25 U.S. states! God warns us in the Bible (Numbers 35:33) not to pollute the land. The land, He explains, is polluted by bloodshed. Have you ever seen an aborted fetus? Have you seen the blood? Surely the United States is a land polluted by the blood of 50 million abortions!
Just recently, a number of seemingly pro-life senators had resisted signing the Senate's version of the health-care reform bill because of legislation that would allow tax-payer funded abortion nationwide. These senators, however, changed their minds and decided to vote for the bill – once a certain amount of funds were secured for their respective states, of course. In light of this bribery, look at what God had to say to the prophet Ezekiel, and is saying to us also in our day:
“Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations! …You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries…In you they take bribes to shed blood…Behold, I beat my fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst. Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong in the days when I shall deal with you?” (Ezekiel 22:2, 4, 12-14)
While there is still time, while there is still breath in our lungs, there remains hope for our nation to turn. The fact that He gives us warnings speaks of His desire to show mercy and hold back judgment. The Lord is looking for those who will “stand in the gap” before Him on behalf of the nation, that He might not destroy it (Ezek. 22:30). At the critical junctures, in the crisis moments of nations, God says, “Yet even now, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing.” (Joel 2:12-14).
This is our hope, and this is our call to intercession. In intercession, we cry out for mercy on behalf of those who cannot and will not cry out to God for themselves. Jesus is our great intercessor, who not only prayed, but laid down His very life for those who could not and would not save themselves.
The prophet Daniel, in Daniel chapter 9, is another great example of an intercessor. With fasting and mourning, He identifies with the sins of his nation, confesses the sins, mourns over them, and pleads with God to show mercy and grant forgiveness and repentance. The call is going forth across this nation to intercede – to confess our sins and the sins of our nation, to repent, to fast and mourn, to pray for the ending of abortion and the cleansing of our land, for God’s mercy and the turning back of judgment and destruction, for revival – the turning of our hearts back to the Lord! Respond to this call this Friday January 22nd, or any day for that matter. While we have breath in our lungs, let us petition the highest court – heaven’s court. Perhaps we have not ourselves had an abortion - but where we have been involved in sexual sin, where we have been silent when we knew we were to speak out, where we have voted for pro-choice candidates - we have need of repentance.
Is that plain enough? Let’s try once more: Abortion, which is the shedding of innocent blood, is an abomination in the sight of God! The United States has become a land polluted with innocent blood, sanctioned by the government. The government is now seeking, not to repent, but rather to increase the bloodshed. We the people, by our vote, are a part of the government. This is a national sin, requiring national repentance, lest we suffer national judgment. I know many in the body of Christ have been sharing these same things, even for years. And the battle has been raging for years. It is not a time to lose heart, but to heed God’s call to intercession and repentance. Now, may we also stand up and be counted, and our voices be heard in our generation. May we be faithful witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Open your mouth for the speechless (the unborn),
In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
And plead the cause of the poor and the needy.
-Proverbs 31:8-9
And Jesus told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart…
“And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night?
Will He keep putting them off?
I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly.
However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” -Luke 18: 1, 7-8
“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” -2 Chronicles 7:14
1 comment:
Thanks Cole. Good post.
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