Ending Roe is just the beginning. We need to support women.
In the recently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that “Roe and Casey must be overruled.” Of course, this news was and ought to be met with hope and joy. It could be the end of a decidedly pro-abortion legal regime in America. What a historic moment!
But the decision isn’t final yet. The Court has not yet officially spoken. Once it does, the crucial and difficult work of state-level aid and legislation to protect the sanctity of life will begin. That’s why I think the timing of this news — so close to our National Day of Prayer — is auspicious.
The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. We must pray in joy and thanksgiving. We must pray for justice, strength and courage. We must pray for everyone involved in the work to come — whether they be mothers, fathers, legislators, activists, judges, or children.
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We must pray, most importantly, for the endurance and faith we will need to make sure the women and children affected by this decision will have the support they need. If we want to end abortion, the Supreme Court battle’s conclusion is just the beginning.
Christians will need to mobilize at the state level, the church level, and in their own lives in order to care for the vulnerable. They were created by God in His image, and that Imago Dei abides regardless of political, economic, or historical circumstance.
Let us follow God’s calling in the days to come. Pray that you would follow His voice and what He is leading you to do on behalf of the least of these. Vote for representatives who will do the work necessary to protect and support life, both of the mother and of the child. Organize to support those who have been called to participate in the legal element of the fight for life.
Our mission at Lifeline Children’s Services is to equip the body of Christ to care for orphans and vulnerable children. The Church is crucial in the pro-life effort. As a part of the body of Christ, how can you help care for the vulnerable children still in their mother’s wombs?
Churches are where we gather to worship, to learn, to support and encourage one another. Churches also allow us to educate others and share resources as we carry out God’s work.
For example, our Fostering Hope ministry helps educate foster parents and supports them as they learn. Our Families Count ministry seeks to restore and reconcile broken families who have lost their children to the foster care system through gospel centered training and relationship building within the context of the local church. The Equipped to Love ministry aims to embrace foster and adoptive families in a holistic, complete network of support.
The ultimate goal of each of these ministries is that every man, woman, boy, and girl would know the joy and peace of the Gospel. The life changing work done by the Lord through these churches is truly amazing to watch. Because we have resources accessible, this model is easily replicated in your own church.
We must also be mindful of our own souls in this vast, complicated battle for the preservation of life and human dignity. This isn’t just about politics or institutions. It’s about souls. It’s about relationships with God and with each other, and the redemption and grace realized within them.
This is precisely why prayer is so important at this moment: Prayer will guide, aid and console us in our work. Because there is no one, easily articulated way to protect vulnerable women and children.
None of our callings as members of the body of Christ will be the same, “for as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
We are people of the Gospel hope. We can and ought to rejoice. We must suffer tribulation and extend our hand in grace and humility to others who suffer. We must take up the work of God, as it is given to us to do.
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12). This is one of the simplest and most moving articulations of our calling at this time in history.
Our work begins here, in prayer, hope and diligence. Let us begin it anew, each day.
Herbie Newell is the President of Lifeline Children’s Services, the largest Evangelical Christian adoption agency in the United States. The organization serves vulnerable children and families through private domestic and international adoption, family restoration, and pregnancy counseling. Herbie is also the author of Image Bearers: Shifting from Pro-Birth to Pro-Life.
