The quote that is attributed to
John Bradford, “There, but for the grace of God, go I”, came to mind yesterday morning as we were praying before I left for the mill. Indeed, if it weren’t
for God’s great mercy and grace, “there go I”, like the women I saw yesterday (and
men and friends), into an abortion mill. I hope none of us are so proud as to
say that if we were in their place we would do differently. But because of that
mercy and grace that God has extended to us we can do differently now, and go offer that different way to others!
We had plenty of both cold hands
(the wind chill was 7 degrees!) and cold hearts at the mill yesterday, but
unfortunately more of the latter. This time around the holidays (Christmas and
the New Year) sees more women coming in for abortions (compared to the rest of
the year) but there is very little response, if any. It seems they have made up
their mind over the holidays and are determined to go in and get it over with.
What a horrible and sad way to begin a beautiful new year!
Due to the holidays and sickness,
we had a smaller-than-usual group of pro-lifers out, but everyone
who came while we were there was offered hope and help. I was able to give a
packet of information to a man who was pulling out after he dropped his woman
off (I know there was at least one more packet given out by someone else).
After I gave this man the booklet, he told me he had to leave, but that he
would be right back. At least he had the information in his hands, and I hoped
he would look at it. He did come back after a bit, but would not stop and talk
to us again. He did, however, smile and nod on his way in. He appeared soft,
but for whatever reason made no effort to save his child.
One carload that left a lasting
impression was driven by a man, with a dog in the passenger seat. A young man
and woman were in the back seat and were the ones dropped off. As they pulled
in, I approached the vehicle and asked if they would take the booklet that I
had. That was met with a demeaning look from the driver and the typical
unsupportive gesture and some profane yelling from the woman in the back seat.
When the driver came back later to pick them up, the young man made quite a
scene in the parking lot by yelling over to us that they “weren’t going to do
it until we saw you” and then went on to act more like a child than a man with
nonsensical and profane responses. One of the older pro-life men tried to speak
some sense to him in a fatherly manner, although I’m afraid the young man was
beyond sense. May the Lord open their blinded eyes and bring true repentance!
There were, sadly, many people to
watch and pray for yesterday as their feet ran swiftly to shed innocent blood. One
woman literally ran from her car to the front door and another was in and out
so many times that I lost track. There was one man who brought a woman (maybe
his daughter) who went in and out several times with a walker that he obviously
didn’t need. (We couldn’t figure that one out.) And, as usual, there were the
men who stood outside smoking, laughing, and talking on their cell phones,
ignoring our pleas and offers while preparations were being made for their
children to be ripped apart by another man.
The Bible says that the harvest
is plentiful and the laborers are few. Sometimes this is easier to see than it
was outside the abortion mill yesterday morning, but we can trust that seeds were
planted that God will be able to water and make grow. So go, as Jesus has commanded,
into the ripe harvest around you. And as you go, remember that “there, but for
the grace of God, go I”.
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