Matthew 2:13,16,18

In Matthew 2:13, The Angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream and says, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

Matthew 2:16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Can you imagine what Joseph and Mary were thinking at this point? They knew they had to flee because Herod wanted to destroy the child, Jesus, but they probably never imagined the evil that would befall their family and friends in Bethlehem. When the wise men did not return to tell Herod Jesus’ whereabouts, his anger was kindled against them and he made a decree to murder all the male children under the age of 2. What a horror; I cry when I think of the depths of this evil. Joseph and Mary probably heard about what happened in Bethlehem. They were most likely both relieved and grieved. Their child was spared, but others were not.

We read in Matthew 2:18:
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more.”

I have wept for all the babies that have died from abortions. I have also wept over the broken hearts of the mothers and fathers. I have heard so many abortion stories over the past 14 years that I have lost count. Still, each time I hear one, my heart breaks for these precious women sharing their pain with me. I have felt like Rachel, weeping and not being able to be comforted. But what could I do, Lord? I knew I couldn’t stand by, especially after the first NY law passed. Watching lawmakers and pro-choice supporters giving each other high fives at the passing of this law was unfathomable. They just gave people permission to murder a completely developed baby, capable of living outside the womb. This is a vulnerable human being. What are we doing? Do we think God is going to continue to bless this country? I think not. So, I stepped up my game and started actively doing STS Bible studies with other women. If God can heal a woman’s broken heart, perhaps next time when she finds herself in this situation, she will choose life. I want to break this cycle of death and change it to one of life.

After seeing the movie, “Unplanned”, I was standing at my sink and God spoke to me through His Holy Spirit. He said, “Every child in the womb is mine.” I cried and said, “Yes Lord, I know. Please forgive me for robbing you of the life you gave me. I am so sorry.”

January 22, 2020 is the 47th anniversary of Roe vs Wade (the case that legalized abortion in all 50 states). Our churches recognize the 3rd Sunday in January as Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, a day when we as believers thank God for the gift of life. We remember those who have died as a result of abortion, and we commit ourselves to protect the unborn. Have you asked God to forgive your sin of abortion? Have you asked Him to forgive the sins of our nation for all the lives that have been destroyed?

My Prayer:

Lord I pray for each woman who is reading this blog and for all the lives that have been lost to abortion. I pray that we will be bold and courageous to defend the unborn and to protect women from experiencing this tragedy. It is anti-woman; it is anti-family and it is anti-God. Open the eyes of the blind so they can see that abortion is not contraception or women’s healthcare. It is the termination of a life, the termination of a gift from God, and is detrimental to the very soul of a woman. Father we pray in the mighty name of Jesus that Your Holy Spirit will bring women out of the darkness into Your Light. Show them how much You love them; we pray Your love will penetrate the deepest part of their being. Father, we are confessing our sins, and we are asking you to forgive us and to heal our land. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

If God has tugged on your heart to get involved, there are numerous ministries and courses you can take to better equip you for the work of the ministry. Go to www.myashestobeauty.com/resources.

—Toni

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