I voted early today for the Illinois primary. (Since I'm serving as an election judge out of my precinct, I had to vote early.) As I filled in ovals on my ballot, I looked down and, yet again, noticed the red band I have worn on my wrist every day for 7 years. Over the years, I've had many people ask me about it. It says "LIFE".
The LIFE band was born out of a ministry that prays for the ending of abortion. I truly believe God meant it when He said "thou shalt not murder" (Exodus 20:13). I believe He meant it when He said that He hates "hands that shed innocent blood" (Prov 6:16-17). I believe He meant it when He said "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man" (Genesis 9:6). For the bloodshed of slavery in our nation, 600,000 men died. My heart grieves when I think about the debt we will pay for the murdering of 55+ million innocent unborn babies.
I believe that life begins at conception. When someone announces they are pregnant and we ask "what are you having?", we know the answer is a baby - we just wonder if it's a boy or a girl. The answer will never be "a rock, a computer, a telephone", no, it is LIFE, a living human being! I also believe that the heart of EVERY human knows it is life as well, no matter how deceived they've become.
So what does that have to do with voting? Well, our nation is divided on the issue of legalized abortion and has been since the 1973 ruling in Roe v Wade. Many, though sadly not all, Christians are pro-life. Yet, many Christians don't participate in voting. My belief is that we (US citizens) are something like Esther. We have been born (or naturalized) into a nation in which we have a voice in our government. Maybe we've been placed here for "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14). Yes, I know that our system is not perfect. And, I know that it may seem your vote doesn't count. (Um, hello, I live in Illinois & normally the maps show my state all one color, with 2 or 3 counties the color of the winning party because that's where larger populations are located.) Maybe your vote is like mine and won't change things on the national landscape. But, what would happen if thousands who feel that way voted? It might change things. And, for me, the bigger issue is that when I stand before God and give my account, I can tell Him that I voted for LIFE.
Back to the LIFE band, I don't wear a band on my wrist to remind myself to vote pro-life once or twice a year. Every time I see this band, I am reminded to pray for the ending of abortion. Prayer is the most important thing I can do. I know that God's heart is grieved for the millions of unborn slaughtered every year. I know that His heart is for the hearts of the mothers and fathers to be turned to the children. I know that Jesus longs to see justice! So I pray for the ending of abortion and for revival to spread through our nation! And I vote, call legislators, work to inform others.... I believe "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16)! But I also believe He gives us opportunities to "Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy" (Proverbs 31:9). The unborn desperately need our voice, both in the place of prayer and the national arena!
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