What comes to your mind when you think of “champions”? An internet search of “champions” and “champions for life” brought up such things as: songs, breakfast cereal slogans, auto repair stores, before- and after school programs, character-building and parenting programs, books, apparel, and, of course, sports.
It appears that being a “champion” is a good and popular thing! So what is a “champion”? Aside from the obvious (a winner of a contest or competition), the online Merriam-Webster definition of champion is “a militant advocate or defender” and “one that does battle for another’s rights or honor.”
Hmmm … with that definition, dear reader, let me introduce you to YOURSELF. You are a champion, a Champion for Life. Why else would you be reading LifeDate—and this article? In my mind, here is what it takes to be a Champion for Life:
First, (and I am borrowing from the LFL 2015 LFL National Conference and 2016 Life Sunday theme) it takes believing God made you a champion because He Created you—you were not blasted into being or upgraded from primordial slime.
“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26-27).
“[T]hen the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7).
The human race was “hand-made” by the most creative designer possible: God. We were made in HIS IMAGE, with HIS very BREATH within us! We truly are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).
Second, it takes believing God made you a champion because He Redeemed you through the amazing grace of God’s Son, Christ Jesus. Through the shedding of His precious, innocent blood, our “chains are gone.” The ransom was paid to deliver us all from the bondage of sin that the human race was born with.
“[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me …
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free, my God, my Savior has ransomed me ….”
“Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)” by John Newton, Chris Tomlin, Louie Giglio
Third, it takes believing God made you a champion because He Called you.
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine’” (Isaiah 43:1).
We are Called, “by name,” into a relationship with the passionate God who so fearfully and wonderfully hand-made us. We are Called “by name” to make our Creator God’s glory known to a lost generation. We are Called “by name” into service to the Lord of Life to be champions for the precious gift of life.
The life-affirming ministry of Lutherans For Life is made up of Champions for Life: Life Ministry Coordinators, Life Teams, Life Chapters, State Federations, LFL staff, and the board of directors, all working to equip Lutherans to be Gospel-motivated voices For Life.
Other Champions for Life that come to mind include a husband and wife who desired children but were unable to have their own. God, in His mercy, provided children by leading them to the “rescue adoptions” of two little boys. While still in their mothers’ wombs, they were both diagnosed with major medical conditions. The mothers were either scheduled to or advised to abort. But, as the couple said, “The Lord had other plans and we are so very grateful.” Now, this same couple has been asked to adopt four cryogenically frozen embryos. Submitting this to prayer, they believe this to be another “rescue adoption” because if they choose NOT to adopt, the embryos will go for medical research—meaning these four babies will probably die. As God provides finances and reveals His will, they will venture forward. These champions covet our prayers.
One more Champion for Life: Maggie Karner. The former director of Life and Health Ministries (LCMS) had been diagnosed with a stage-four glioblastoma brain tumor. Instead of taking the road of physician-assisted suicide, as Brittany Maynard (who was diagnosed with the same condition) did one year ago, Maggie chose to live out the rest of her days by the grace of God. Even while on her own cancer journey, she continued to advocate for life. Maggie, the recipient of the 2015 LFL Dominus Vitae (Lord of Life) Award, for long-term dedicated life-affirming work, was the recipient of an even greater award this past fall: The Award of Eternal Life. We praise God for the beautiful faith-filled Champion for Life legacy she left behind.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for raising up Champions for Life—Your Created, Redeemed, and Called children. Amen.