LifeDate Spring 2026 – Stand Firm For Life
by Rev. Paul Clark, Lutherans For Life of Michigan
“Imitate the action of the tiger; Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,” says King Henry V to his troops before battle (William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act 3, Scene 1).
That is what is known as a rallying cry, words that ignite people to act for a common cause or purpose.
Stand Firm For Life. In effect, this is our rallying cry, as we seek to protect and hold sacred human life in all its phases, from fertilization to the grave. We are in a spiritual and cultural battle. Stiffen the sinews; summon up the blood. Take courage! Stand Firm For Life!
But standing firm implies having a solid foundation. How firm is your foundation?
When a skyscraper is constructed, the first step is to drive steel or concrete piles deep into the ground to form a foundation that will safely support this tall and massive structure, enabling it to endure storms and wind and quakes.
We have such a foundation in Jesus Christ and His Word. For “you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-21).
We are well-grounded in Christ. By the Spirit’s power, our pillars are set deeply into the bedrock of His Word. The howling winds and torrential rains of the culture of death will assault us, but we can and will Stand Firm For Life, for we have Christ, who IS our life. We have the Word of truth that cannot return void but accomplishes all that God wills and desires.
The shifting sands and loose topsoil of this world cannot provide a firm foundation. We live in a time of spiritual darkness that pervades the culture and, sadly, even some areas of the contemporary Church.
Too many hibernate in a cocoon of silence in relation to abortion and life issues. They hide behind the smokescreen of the so-called “separation between Church and state,” refusing to address topics that are integral to the Gospel of Life that Jesus came to bring.
Only the Light of Jesus can dispel the morbid mantle of darkness in this world. Time is fleeting. Babies are dying. Women are suffering great harm from the abortion culture. Marriages are crumbling. Many are lost in the mindless confusion of gender identity and dysphoria.
The famous writer Sir Walter Scott kept a large garden at his estate in Melrose, Scotland. In its center stood a sundial that had these words engraved upon it: ERCHETAI NUX. That is Greek for “The night is coming.”
And so, it is. Time is short. The battalions of darkness array themselves against all that is good, all that is noble, all that is holy. But we have the LIGHT that overcomes the darkness.
For we have a warrior—the very SON OF GOD Himself—who grabs hold of us and will not let go. Jesus came down into the mud and mire of this corrupted world and gave His life for us. He took into Himself the poison of our sins—all of them—even the sin of abortion. He was crucified, He died, and He rose—for us! He loves us fiercely and has done everything necessary to bring all His beloved people safely home.
Whatever troubles and anxieties come upon you, or when you become fearful of those who oppose you, remember that Jesus Christ is with you always. His Word stands. “I will never leave you or forsake you. I am with you always” (Hebrews 13:5b). “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3).
Courage, dear saints! You have not been abandoned to stand alone on the wintry plain of despair. You are grounded in Jesus.
So, “stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood!” Stand Firm For Life. That is our rallying cry. But make sure you are well-grounded, piles driven deep into the bedrock of Christ and His Word. Attend the Divine Service. Receive His precious body and blood. Go to Bible class. Know WHAT you believe and WHY. Be a Gospel-motivated voice for the unborn, for the weak, the defenseless, the aged, the infirm, and the dying. Keep watch for wolves in sheep’s clothing who may appear Christ-like on the exterior, but who hold positions that are in contrast and opposition to God’s Word.
Merciful Lord, help us to stand firmly on the foundation of Your Holy Word, to proclaim the truth of life and salvation through Christ alone, the sanctity of all human life, born and unborn, and Your design of male and female, sexuality and marriage. Help us to be who we are called to be as Your people, washed by the sparkling waters of Holy Baptism, and brought into Your blessed kingdom of grace. Dear Lord, help us to value this treasure aright. “Sustain me, O Lord, till Your Day of returning, and harvest me homeward at last, to shine in the homeland that quiets all yearning, where sorrow and danger are past” (LSB 654). Amen.