July 2, 2020

LifeDate Summer 2020

by Lynette Auch, President of Lutherans For Life

Life certainly has its surprises and challenges—some good and perhaps some not so good. We surely have seen our share these past months.

One huge change/blessing for our household has been the unexpected long-term visit of our daughter and three grandchildren while our son-in-law is on COVID-19 assignment with the Navy. For them, the move was bittersweet. Leaving husband and father has been painful, but the freedom from city and house confinement has been a welcome relief as the children soak in the freedom of country life.

As life has changed at my house, I am positive it has also changed at yours. It is simply amazing how fear of a tiny virus has basically changed the face of the whole world! We have clearly seen how fear, especially fear of sickness and death, can have a crippling, and even devastating, effect on human beings—to the point of controlling whole populations.

Sadly, one thing that has not changed is the continued—even heightened—war on the sanctity of life.

“A group of Minnesota doctors filed a lawsuit … against [Governor Tim Walz, Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm, Planned Parenthood and others] for restricting their constitutional rights while allowing abortion facilities to continue to kill unborn babies in elective abortions during the coronavirus crisis …

“‘When it comes to the right to have an abortion, the State has decided that this right is sacrosanct, and that no COIVD-19 prevention measure can be allowed to curtail the right to abortion in any way—no matter how minor the burdens that might be imposed on abortion providers or their patients, and no matter how many lives might be saved from requiring abortion providers to switch from surgical abortion to medication abortion in an effort to conserve PPE [personal protective equipment] and increase social distancing,’ the lawsuit states.

“Like many other state leaders, Walz and Malcolm restricted elective and non-essential surgeries, religious gatherings and more to preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) and prevent further spread of the virus. However, they allowed elective abortions to continue during the pandemic.” (www.lifenews.com, 5/1/20)

As one comment on Facebook said, “A society that kills a million babies a year for convenience has shut itself down to prevent adults from dying. And to make matters worse, the people who celebrate the mass slaughter of children are now preaching about the sacred value of human life. The whole thing is sick.”

Yes, the whole thing is sick and oftentimes causes feelings of fear and hopelessness—but we are not without hope!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV).

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV).

Hope is what the ministry of Lutherans For Life is all about!

Lutherans For Life has also seen numerous changes and challenges of various kinds these past months, but, with the help of your prayers and gifts, it has not stopped the Gospel message of the sanctity of life and hope from being proclaimed.

Even though many of us have experienced sadness, new “normals,” challenges, fears, frustrations, and perhaps even sickness and/or death of a loved one, I pray through Christ’s strength we can say, “It Is Well with My Soul.”

When peace like a river
Attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot
Thou hast taught me to say
It is well
It is well with my soul

Tho’ Satan should buffet
Tho’ trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ hath regarded
My helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood
For my soul

My sin O the bliss
Of this glorious tho’t
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross
And I bear it no more
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord O my soul

And Lord haste the day
When the faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound
And the Lord shall descend
Even so it is well
With my soul

Horatio Gates Spafford
Words: Public Domain