LifeDate Fall 2024 – Hope and a Future
by Diane Albers, President of Lutherans For Life
Maybe you have heard this phrase before: “Man plans, and God laughs.” According to Google, the phrase comes from a Yiddish proverb. And you know what it means: Our plans are not nearly as good as God’s plans for us—no matter what we think!
Jeremiah was in a hard place as a prophet. He had been telling God’s people to change their wicked ways and follow God, but they had not done so. Babylon had defeated Israel, destroyed Solomon’s temple, and taken many in exile to Babylon. Jeremiah told them that in 70 years, God would come to them to fulfill His promise to bring them back to their land.
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Despite the sin of His people, God remained faithful and kept His covenant promise. This promise is for us, too. Note that it is not always immediate, but that it is the best plan for us. When we think of our future, we have a promise of hope even though our plans are failing.
What are God’s plans? Once upon a time, my husband, Mike, and I wanted to start a family, but it took six years before we had our first child and three more years before we had our second. We wanted a third child, but because of my age I did not want to wait six years. So, we prayed and gave God a deadline and, of course, we got pregnant immediately when our daughter was about nine months old! Now I had the opposite problem! What was I going to do with two babies under two?
I believe that God was preparing me for my work with Lutherans For Life (LFL). I know how it feels to long for a child and wonder if it will ever happen. I never contemplated an abortion, but I know how it feels to be pregnant when you are not sure that you want to be. LFL is prepared to help infertile couples see God’s plan for them. If not their own biological child, perhaps adoption or foster care are part of God’s plan.
As a teacher, I saw students with learning disabilities, severe allergies, physical disabilities, and Down syndrome and, as I worked with these children, I saw their mama’s pain. I saw how society views these children, and how their mamas were encouraged to abort. LFL is prepared to uphold families with children that have any kind of disability and to help women who have been hurt by abortion.
I have seen my parents, my in-laws, my brother, and dear friends who died in the Lord cared for and prayed for until the end. LFL has much to say about the end of life.
Over 45 years ago, a small group of people met and formed LFL to uphold the value of life affirmed by the resurrected Christ. Today we communicate clearly that death is not an acceptable, God-pleasing way to deal with the problems of life, and that there is a better way: the Gospel! Did that small group of Lutheran Christians have any idea what God’s plans were for LFL? Maybe not, but they had the sure hope of God’s covenant promise!