Readings:
Judges 13:2-25
Luke 1:5-25
One reason why some people question God’s existence, especially as Christians claim that He is an all-powerful but just and loving God, is why He does nothing to solve the immense problems in the world. Why does God allow sub-human poverty, bloody wars, disastrous calamities, unchecked crime and corruption, rampaging environmental degradation?
God does act, but how He acts is through human instruments. God sends those whom He will use to help solve the problems of the world. After all, He did entrust to humankind the well-being of His creation (Gen 1:28, 2:15).
One problem is that those whom God sends and intends to use are not heeding His call and/or have been co-opted by the world. Another problem, a much bigger one, is that those whom He sends have been aborted.
How do we know that God intends to use certain people?
Take a look at Samson. The angel told Manoah’s barren wife that she will “conceive and bear a son,” who is to be consecrated to God from the womb” (Jgs 13:3,5a). And what is Samson to do? “It is he who will begin the deliverance of Israel from the power of the Philistines.” (Jgs 13:5b). Before the child was conceived, God already determined his purpose and work. That work was of greatest importance, as it involved liberation for God’s people from subjugation under the enemy.
Take a look at John. The angel told Zechariah that his barren wife Elizabeth would conceive and bear a son, who would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb (Lk 1:13,15b). What would be his task? John the Baptist would “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” (Lk 1:16-17). Now that work was also of the greatest importance, involving conversion, family renewal and formation of the bride for the Bridegroom.
God destines people to make a radical positive effect on the life of the world. God may not directly work His miracles to address the ills of the world, but He does miraculously raise those who will act in His stead.
Then of course there is Jesus himself. Again an angel tells a virgin that she will conceive and bear a son (Lk 1:31). What would Jesus be? “He will be great .... and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever” (Lk 1:32-33a).
What if Mary had said no to her pregnancy, as many young unmarried women do today? What if Joseph had rejected his suddenly pregnant betrothed and abandoned her to the penalty of death by stoning for adultery, as some men today who have impregnated their girl friends insist on her having an abortion? What if King Herod had succeeded in murdering their child, as he did with the massacre of the infants in Bethlehem, just as Chinese leaders, Obama and many powerful world leaders today are ordering such massacre of the unborn?
How many scientists, food technologists, peace advocates, environmental experts, social workers and other good people never got to do what God intended for them to do, because they were aborted?
We cannot blame God for the ills of the world. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Abortion and the anti-life mentality are not just assaults on the unborn, but assaults on the very plan of God for the well-being of the world.
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