Prayer Alters the Equation

 

In my devotional time today I read about how an angel set Peter free from prison in Acts 12. So Peter is free at last, and he goes to the disciples who are gathered together and are praying Acts 12:12. Yet they are amazed to see him as described in Acts 12:16 But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.

Well then, what were they praying for? The devotional I read concluded with these words, “The most powerful position on earth is kneeling before the Lord of the universe.”

This all directs me to the deception and destruction of abortion. Our weekly prayer vigil remnant is coming upon our third year at the Urbandale, Iowa, Planned Parenthood location. It is a place, on a hill, where we pray for the insanity of abortion to cease, and we pray for all the people who are involved.

Days turn into weeks, weeks become months, months turn into years, and all of it gives you cause to wonder. Are we having an impact? And now, of course, the thermometer is reminding us that winter is already lurking…

Yet, there is cause for celebration.  There have been some pro-life victories here and there around the country. And in our corner, God has provided a few more prayer warriors over time. Slowly yes, but they are coming.  All of which has inspired me to relay the solution I believe is a game changer for the cause of pro-life.

It’s a simple answer, and one you may recognize immediately. Adoption – but not what first comes to mind when you hear that word. This plan is adoption in two phases.

Phase 1: You – not someone else – but you – adopt an abortion clinic. Don’t burden yourself with all of the abortion locations. Rather, select one. Make a long-time pledge with the Lord to pray for the workers there; to pray for the people who go in for services; and to pray for that location to close down. Go to your adopted location and pray. Be consistent. Be persistent. Go inside and bring the workers coffee and donuts. Also, take the advice of the apostle Paul from 1 Corinthians 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love.

Phase 2: Pray. Prayer alters the equation because it alters us initially. Now we may be ready to take the word abort, and change the b to a d, and the r to a p, and we come up with adopt. The same works if you take abortion and turn it into adoption. Two phases and two letters, and we just might see a spiritual earthquake.

I don’t know about you, but I am very thankful that my parents were pro-lifers right about the time the Lord had me scheduled for the ride of a lifetime through the birth canal. So prayers of thanksgiving are appropriate too.

None of us when we die, and stand before our Creator, will say, “Ya know, I spent way too much of my earthly life in prayer!” Prayer and adoption – that’s the ticket. And when we pray, let’s pray with more expectation than amazement.