Devotion for the First Sunday in Lent

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me,
“Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’;
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.”
Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me,
“Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.
See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to break down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant.” ~ Jeremiah 1:4-10

Two important things strike me about this passage. First, the Lord knows us before He formed us in the womb. He designed and planned us long before He created us. That means that every baby in the womb is a human life, created by God in His image, known and loved and made by Him for a purpose. Many other passages in Scripture tell us that abortion is wrong, but this is so powerful, how can anyone who identifies as a Christian support the killing of unborn babies? Second, if God gives us something to do, we don’t have to do it in our own strength. Just as He told Jeremiah He would be with him to deliver him, God will be us and deliver us in whatever He gives us to do. He put the words in Jeremiah’s mouth—He will put words in our mouth and give us strength and power to serve in whatever task He gives us.

Lord, millions of Your precious children are being killed by abortion. Forgive me for not being more active in stopping this abomination. Put the words in my mouth and give me the strength to stand up for these precious babies and help bring an end to legal murder. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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