Beyond Abortion
Editor’s Note: Please visit our home page for a full listing of abortion facts.
So, you had an abortion. Are you surprised by the regret, anxiety or heartache you are experiencing? Even if the abortion was years ago, you may not be able to shake the feeling that you did the wrong thing.
David
You certainly wouldn’t have much in common, then, with a beloved king in a beautiful palace. Or would you . . .
David is known as the Bible’s shepherd boy who killed the giant Goliath with a slingshot. He grew up to be a great king and a “man after God’s own heart.” David wasn’t described that way because he was perfect, but because he sincerely admitted he was not.
Can you acknowledge to God that you have messed up a few times, or sinned, as everyone has? (Romans 3:23)
David had a lot of wrong choices to confess to God. He had an affair with a married woman named Bathsheba. Then the couple discovered that Bathsheba was pregnant. They panicked. Seeking to protect their reputations, they tried to hide it.
Did you panic after finding out you were pregnant? Did you try to hide it by taking the life of your unborn baby? Maybe at the time it seemed better than facing the consequences.
David devised what he thought was a clever plan. He called Bathsheba’s husband home from his duty as an army officer. Uriah and Bathsheba would be physically intimate and it would be assumed the baby was his. But Uriah respected that his troops were still on the battlefield. He slept outside and did not go in to be with his wife. David was desperate to hide the affair and plotted Uriah’s death. He secretly commanded the other soldiers to withdraw during a battle, leaving Uriah alone to be killed by the enemy.
Can you understand what made David decide to take the life of an innocent person? Some situations seem so hopeless, out-of-control and frightening that you cannot imagine any good way out. And you could rationalize, like David did, that the life you were choosing to end was not as important as your own. Maybe you, too, got others to help carry out your plan.
David thought he got what he wanted. People would think the baby was Uriah’s and David would be showing compassion by marrying Bathsheba. But, a man named Nathan confronted David with the truth. Nathan convinced the king that what he had done offended God.
Did you know that abortion offends God? Every baby is intended to be a gift of life, a gift God wanted you to accept even if it would have made your life extremely difficult.
David wrote a beautiful prayer in the Bible called Psalm 51. In it, he asked God to have mercy on him. He acknowledged that God would erase the past and allow for a clean, new beginning. He asked God to create a new, obedient heart in him. David’s old heart was broken. With confidence in God’s love and forgiveness, David went on to be a strong leader.
What will your personal prayer be to God? Will you use your own words to tell God you are sorry for your abortion and other things you have done that have hurt Him? Tell Him you accept His forgiveness, healing and wholeness. He will hear your prayer and honor it. You will begin a new journey with a new heart.
Paul
You certainly would not have much in common with a famous writer who has influenced people for hundreds of years. Or would you . . .
Long ago, a government official named Saul tortured and killed Christians. All those who believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God were at risk of death.
You haven’t killed a multitude of innocent people . . . but, sadly, you have taken the life of one, your unborn baby. You may feel justified for a variety of reasons. And you may not want to deal with it at any deeper level.
Saul was just walking on a road when God confronted him. First it was with a flashing light from Heaven, and then with God’s own audible voice.
God may not have spoken to you out loud or flashed lightning in your face, but have you ever wondered if He’s been trying to get your attention? God wants you to listen to Him. He loves you with an everlasting love, beyond what you could ever imagine. He also loves every baby, regardless of circumstance. Each is created by God for a purpose.
Because God wanted Saul to see that hurting Christians was wrong, God blinded him for three days. That got his attention! Saul did not eat or drink that whole time. Instead he was praying to God he had sinned against. God knew then that Saul’s heart had changed. To signify that change, God gave Saul a new name, Paul.
God wants your heart, just like He wanted Saul’s. He says that His son Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary through a miracle of the Holy Spirit and lived a sinless life. As our substitute He took on the punishment that sinners deserve by His death on the cross. He then rose up out of his grave after three days. Today Jesus is in Heaven where He has prepared a place for you. Just as God forgave Paul for his direct killing of God’s followers, He forgives you for killing the child He gave you. You can ask God to change and heal your heart.
Paul’s story did not end on that road. He became a dedicated, outspoken and committed Christian. Paul endured many hardships, including undeserved jail time, but stayed true to his promise to follow God. He wrote several books in the Bible that have challenged and encouraged millions throughout the years.
Like Paul, your story is not over either.
Paul made a change in his attitude and behavior. When he knew better, he did better. The past was left behind. He continually looked ahead, focusing on how God would keep using him for good purposes and blessing him.
God is giving you this same opportunity. Are you ready to take the step and live a better life? If so, tell God you want to change in ways that would please Him. Let God take control of your life. Tell Him you believe what the Bible says about Jesus as God’s Son. Accept the forgiveness He offers through His Son Jesus Christ and leave the past behind.
Moses
You certainly would not have much in common with a great leader who led millions of people. Or would you . . .
When Moses was a young man, long before he parted the Red Sea, he saw an Egyptian master beating an Israelite slave. Seeing no one around, Moses killed the Egyptian in anger and hid his body in the sand. He thought he would not get caught. But, witnesses came forward the next day.
Perhaps you felt you were doing the right thing when you had your abortion. Or at least you believed you had a good reason and no other way out. Still you tried to hide it.
Moses was ashamed and afraid, so he ran far away. Many years later, God Himself came to Moses and told him He had plans for his life. There were ways in which God wanted to use Moses. Yet, he felt so inadequate, and just so average, that he told God to go find someone else.
Have you ever felt that way? That God should find another woman for His plans? Maybe you feel you don’t deserve to be a favorite of God’s because of the poor decisions you have made. Or maybe you feel that there is nothing special about you. But, you are very special to God. Nothing can separate you from His love (Romans 8: 38, 39), not even the act of abortion.
God would not take “no” for an answer after pursuing Moses in a big way . . . Not only had He found Moses where he had been hiding, but God spoke to him in a clear voice from a burning bush! He insisted that Moses become a leader despite his insecurities. God promised that He would give Moses the help he needed to lead the Israelites to the new land God had promised them.
God has a role specifically designed for you to fill. Don’t resist it, like Moses did, because you know you are not perfect. Of course you have made mistakes, even to the point of taking the life of your unborn child. But please do not let any feelings of inadequacy keep you from the wonderful things God wants to accomplish in and through you.
Moses eventually became the great leader he was intended to be.
Couldn’t that be true in your life? Even if you have wasted a part of your life like Moses did, today can be a new start. You can be open to God right now and begin a new adventure with Him. He wants you to accept His forgiveness and healing for any lingering affects of your abortion. He has plans to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) He wants you to learn from your mistakes and not repeat them. God would never discard you because you took the life of your baby or for any other reason.
God did not discard Moses. He found him and called him into service for Himself.
Would you like to serve God instead of yourself? Are you willing to come out of hiding and be “found” by God? It can be scary to commit your life to God, but you can trust Him. An exciting and rewarding adventure awaits you!
We have all made wrong choices
You are not alone in having made wrong choices. All of us have. David, Paul and Moses were imperfect people God chose to use for great things. Not even the taking of an innocent life can deter God from wanting to have a relationship with you. He has plans for you that are beyond your wildest expectations. God wants you to confess your sins like David, give your heart to Him like Paul and obediently accept what God has for you like Moses. This time, make the right choice.