By now you’ve spent the weekend inundated with information and opinions on the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Perhaps your joy has been overshadowed by critics—friends, relatives, and strangers alike whose intense anger reminds us that the fight for life is truly a spiritual battle. Or maybe you’re saddened for the many women for whom this decision brings back painful memories of their own abortions and a generation of women blinded by a prideful desire to control their circumstances at any cost.
Maybe you’ve already seen infighting among fellow Christians who disagree on how to move forward, how to frame the abortion debate, and whether those who publicly expressed dislike or didn’t vote for President Trump now owe the rest of the prolife movement a public apology.
As I write this today, Friday, June 24, 2022, while I’ll agree those are important conversations, I’m resisting the urge to be angry, disgruntled, or sad. Because today is a day for thankfulness, a day to praise God for answered prayer. Today is a day to rejoice.
- Today, in Kentucky, Louisiana, and South Dakota, a ban on abortion took effect immediately upon the ruling.
- Today, in Idaho, Tennessee, and Texas, the clock began to tick on a law that bans abortion in thirty days.
- Today, in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming, “trigger laws” restricting or banning abortion await certification so they can go into effect.1
Though the work of those who have fought so hard to protect the lives of the unborn continues—and there is much work for all Christians to do—today is a day to rejoice.
Breaking News in the Studio
At the International Ministry Center, home to Revive Our Hearts, the news about Roe’s overturn came in the middle of a recording session, as Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth was teaching on Psalm 28. Here’s how Nancy described the moment:
The response in the room was both powerful and profound. Humbled by the news, women fell to their knees. Others lifted their hands in praise. Many cried uncontrollable tears of gratitude. God has done something remarkable. We’ve seen His hand in our day! Truly, Heaven rules.
What followed the announcement was a beautiful, tearful, joyful, pleading time of prayer. I was watching a livestream of the recording session and was so touched by these precious moments that I wanted to share the recording—unedited and still very raw—here on the blog with you.
Onward
As we wake up this morning, let us remain grateful, let us stand firm, let us continue in the work of the prolife movement through legislative efforts and caring for women and babies. And above all, let us pray for God to touch the hearts of men and women in our nation and world who need to repent and be made whole.
Revive Our Hearts will be right here by your side, beginning today with a special time of prayer on the Grounded videocast at 9 a.m. (EDT) and a hot-off-the-press episode of Revive Our Hearts, “A Response to the Overturn of Roe v. Wade” on the podcast and radio. You can also find a library of content related to the abortion issue here.
So rejoice, be grateful, and remember: Heaven rules.
Like your name, God, so your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth;
your right hand is filled with justice.
—Psalm 48:10
1Becky Sullivan and Kristin Gourlay, “Here's Where Abortions Will Likely Be Banned or Strictly Limited Post Roe,” NPR (NPR, June 24, 2022), https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2022/06/24/1107126432/abortion-bans-supreme-court-roe-v-wade.
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