I have been active in the pro-life movement for over twenty years, and during that time I have asked many of my pro-life friends where they attended church. But, in those two decades, I have never heard one of the them answer that they did not attend one. Now some claim that there are pro-life atheists, but I personally have never met one.

Today’s devotional is particularly addressed to those who are considering terminating a pregnancy, and doing so for their own convenience — in order to keep the birth of a child from making their lives more difficult or complicated. My message to them is, “Please don’t do it. Please remember, it is not only about you. It is also about the life of another person, whom you are playing a part in bringing into the world.”

“Already, but not yet.” Those words are often used at this time of year to describe the state in which we live. Christ has ALREADY won the victory for us, BUT NOT YET can we fully enjoy what that means. Not on this side of heaven. We still endure the effects of sin until God calls us home or until Christ returns — hence the connection to Advent as we eagerly await Christ’s return.

Perhaps most generations of Christians have thought they were living in the worst of times in history because of widespread unbelief and immorality. We may think this is such a time. The prevailing worldview denies not only absolute moral truths, but absolute truth in general. Each person defines what is true. The breakdown of the nuclear family, the foundational structure for every culture, has caused havoc that will continue for years.

Mission? Many themes come to mind during the season of Advent: expectation, waiting, watching, hope and joy, to name a few. Mission, however, is not often lifted as the anticipatory preamble to the coming of the Lord and Savior of the World. Nonetheless, here it is in the daily lectionary trumpeted by words, such as: called, gathered and sent.

We Christians are sometimes accused of being “so heavenly minded we are no earthly good.” Which of course denies all the ministries and agencies which Christians have supported, even back when the Roman emperors were persecuting us.

His name was Zechariah, and he was speechless. Literally. He hadn’t spoken since getting the message that his wife was going to have a baby — a special boy with a name and mission given by God. The message came not from Zechariah’s dear Elizabeth, but from a higher authority. Now, old as Zechariah was — old as Elizabeth was — he had to be absolutely 100% sure. So, he asked, “How will I know this is really going to happen?”

Many people believe that God should give them a sign or a miracle before they will believe in Him. They claim to be the supporters of science: advocates of the principle that if something can’t be detected by the senses it must not exist. But, as a pastor, I find this attitude is often a cover — the “scientific person” has a bigger problem — he has a sin that he doesn’t want to give up!