We have only 10 days left before the end of this year's 40 Days for Life!
I've done this week's devotional in a "Q + A" style - they represent the vast majority of questions I get. I hope you'll contemplate both the questions and the answers and how they apply to you in these last days of the prayer vigil:
Q: Can I just pray from home / it's hard to get to the prayer vigil
A: In response, I reflect upon how important it is for me to get to church each Sunday - can I just pray to God from home? [No!] The blessings of making it to the prayer vigil and being a visible sign far outweigh the difficulties and the inconveniences.
Q: The vigil schedule doesn't seem like it's full, looks like it isn't going so well
A: This is an important comment and it reflects how we think as humans. We often see output as the measure of success. But in this case, it's all about input! I believe we all need to ask ourselves individually - "Am I being faithful to what God has called me to do this Lent (ie. inputs)?". If God calls me to do 5 hours a week and I do 2 hours a week, then I'm not being faithful to His call, even though it looks like a lot of time! But also, if God calls me to do just 1 hour over the entire 40 Days for Life and I don't do it, that's also being unfaithful. What you're being called to do can only be answered through prayer.
Q: It's too late to be involved; the vigil is almost over, I'll just wait until next year (or the year after)
A: It's not too late! The need for people to pray at the abortion mill is greater and more urgent than ever. During the time between this prayer vigil and next year's another 50 million children will be killed! It's an unfathomable number. And I've heard so many stories about people who've joined late in the vigil who've had amazing experiences during their prayer time. And lastly, you might be the one person who speaks to a woman and stops her from making the most horrible decision she'll ever make in her life - you could be the difference between life and death.
Lastly, don't forget this is a spiritual battle! Only the devil could make a mother turn from this:
"Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb?" (Isaiah 49:15)
into someone who could contemplate and carry out the murder of her own child. Be prepared for spiritual attacks (depression, anger, helplessness, etc.) and the physical ("bad luck" such as car troubles, late trains/buses, things going wrong that normally don't, etc.) and remember that through prayer, God is on your side!
