During nine hours of driving today -- heading from
Shreveport, Louisiana, to Jackson, Mississippi, to
New Orleans, and then arriving in Pensacola, Florida
a few minutes ago -- I had quite a bit of time to
reflect on how much I respect you for standing strong
for righteousness, even in the face of adversity.
Christ tells us, "Blessed are you when they insult
you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil
against you falsely because of me" (Matthew 5:11).
Well, through this fall's 40 Days for Life, some of
you are finding out firsthand exactly what He was
talking about.
At each of the 40 Days for Life locations my son
Patrick and I visited today, people driving by the
vigil site angrily screamed obscenities at the prayer
volunteers -- including the young children who were
there praying with their parents.
The volunteers did not respond to the vitriol. They
simply prayed harder.
Rita in Amarillo had an interesting experience with
an abortion advocate. A young man arrived outside the
40 Days for Life vigil with a sign. On one side, it
said, "freedom of choice." On the other side -- an
obscene message.
What kind of person pickets a prayer vigil with a
vulgar sign? "He believes animals have souls and it
is wrong to kill them so we can have fast food, but
believes a mother should be able to choose to kill
her child before it is born," said Rita. "He is
obviously just a very confused young person who is on
a crusade against his parents' Christian faith."
Please keep this young man -- and far too many others
like him -- in your prayers.
After a fender-bender near the 40 Days for Life site
in Sacramento, someone who lives across from the
abortion center told participants that she was going
to call the police to complain that the vigil had led
to an increase in wrecks.
"We just listened and explained the peaceful
presence," said Sally. "The fact is, people are known
for speeding on this street. Police are constantly
issuing speeding tickets. It's a 35 mile-an-hour
zone, but many are going 45 plus."
Sally said she doesn't think the police will buy the
neighbor's argument. "In fact," she said, "one female
police officer expressed her appreciation that we
were there praying peacefully and that our signs were
positive, and not graphic in nature."
Doyle in Knoxville tells of a dentist whose office is
in the same complex as the abortion center where
people are praying as part of 40 Days for Life. "He
came out to register his complaint that our signs
were making his customers uncomfortable."
One of the men praying at the vigil suggested that
this building might not be the best place for his
office, but the dentist protested that he was there
first, before the abortion clinic leased space.
It seemed quite amazing to Doyle that this man who
works in the healthcare field did not seem too
concerned that babies were losing their lives right
next to his own office. "I'm always astounded at the
caviler attitude people can take towards our mission
-- and towards innocent human life."
But as Christ also reminds us, remain faithful --
even cheerful -- in the face of such reactions:
"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great
in heaven" (Matthew 5:12).
Here's today's devotional from Randolph Sly of the
National Pro-life Religious Council...
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DAY 18 INTENTION
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We pray for a flowering of the joy of parenthood.
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SCRIPTURE
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Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the
fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the
hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's
youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of
them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with
their enemies in the gate.
-- Psalm 127:3-5
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REFLECTION by Randolph Sly
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I still vividly remember the day my first child was
born. As she came into the world I gazed upon the
most beautiful little baby I'd ever seen.
Later I was driving home from the hospital for a
shower and a fresh change of clothes when a song came
on the radio, "The Men in My Little Girl's Life" -- a
ballad about being a father as he watches his
daughter grow through childhood to womanhood.
I wept as I listened, knowing those years would go by
very fast... and they did.
Being a father, whenever I read the Psalm quoted
above I'm always captivated by one word - "heritage."
It basically means "something passed down from a
preceding generation."
That little girl I watched being born and wept for is
not mine to give to God like a product of our
fertility, but rather His, which he has entrusted to
us. So are all her siblings.
My wife and I share a great treasure: precious lives,
which are placed in our lineage that His life with us
might be perpetuated.
To the psalmist, this was a blessing from the
Lawgiver, God Himself, who blessed Israel with
another generation intended to continue their
covenantal promise.
For us in Christ, it is his gift of succeeding
generations for His Church and her families.
These days I'm looking upon my grandchildren, and
rejoicing that my children and their spouses will
pass on the greatness of Christ's gospel to them and
thus will continue the work of God in the world. What
a blessing. What a heritage!
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PRAYER
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Heavenly Father, please keep me from taking for
granted the gift of children. Help us to remember
this heritage that you have given us. Make us
faithful stewards of these precious lives, that each
generation might be raised in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord. We ask this through Jesus
Christ our Lord, Amen.
-----------------------------------------------------
Yours for Life,
David Bereit
National Campaign Director
40 Days for Life
P.S.- AMAZING! Within the first few hours after
announcing this coming Tuesday night's "40 Days for
Life Midpoint Tele-rally and Web Simulcast," more
than 700 people were already registered to join the
live event -- and the number is climbing rapidly.
We lined up even more surprise speakers today (you
will not want to miss some of these inspirational
presenters!) This call is truly shaping up to be one
of the most powerful pro-life events of 2008 -- and
it's absolutely FREE to participate.
If you haven't already registered, it's not too late.
We expanded the number of phone lines to accommodate
more people, so you -- and your friends and family
members -- can participate in this high-energy event
to mark the middle of these 40 Days for Life.
Spread the word and grab your spot now at:
http://www.40daysforlife.com/midpoint
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