Surrendering The Secret

Last night I was privileged to participate in a very unique memorial service. This funeral service was for the aborted children of three ladies. Please, stay with me.

These ladies had participated in a support group that the local pregnancy center sponsors. The purpose of the group is to help women who have had abortions to cope with the fallout, emotional baggage, shame and guilt that came with their choice. Of course, Christ is shared with these ladies so they can find the true source of forgiveness. Even if they are saved there is still great baggage that they need to work through.

After the service was over there was a reception. I sat around a table with 5 women who had abortions. Some were over 35 years ago. The emotional trauma had been shoved down and repressed for all those years. After seeking God’s hand, this service was a huge step in the process of catharsis.

The program that these ladies go through is called, “Surrendering the Secret”. I began to ask them questions about their sin, struggles, and relationship with the church. What I heard was priceless.

First of all, contrary to what the media and Planned Parenthood portray, abortion is hard on women. These ladies told me that they have struggled in every area of their life. Not one area is not affected by the choice to abort their child. The worst part is that they can share that struggle with absolutely no one. Men don’t understand. They can’t talk to their family about their struggles.

Well, what about the church? No way! All they hear from the church is how horrible abortion is, and that is true. But, the response of many in the church towards those who have had an abortion is not loving and redemptive, but often times mean and judgmental.

I wish that I could convey to you the power that was present at this service and reception. God was there. There was brokenness over sin that I have rarely seen. There were emotional scars and wounds shared freely. There was healing and encouragement from the Lord.

I don’t think that my sermon at this service was all that great. One lady did tell me that it was meaningful for her to have a pastor of a church tell her about the forgiveness that is real in the Lord Jesus Christ. For them to have a pastor welcome them in the church, extend to them the gospel of forgiveness, and accept them in Christ, meant a lot.

I was challenged by these ladies. I believe the Bible and so I am passionate about the issue of abortion. I must speak out against this horrible crime. But, I also need to be aware that I must speak about the issue redemptively. It is not just a theory, it is something that affects people. I must speak the truth in love. The church is supposed to be the place where sinners can come, not where they should be shunned. No more scarlet letter sins.

Mental notes I made:
- Abortion not only takes the life of a child, it takes the life of the mother.
- Every single one of these ladies that had an abortion has seriously considered suicide.
- 43% of women 25-40 have had at least one abortion
- Jesus is a friend of sinners, I should be too.
- Jesus spoke against sin and still loved, I should too.