Jack at 7 weeks

I don’t know about you, but it seems to be me that everyone is pregnant these days. Right?! It is so much fun to see those bellies grow, to hear plans for the future for the children who are expected and anticipated with delight, anxiety, joys and fears. They all exist together without much distinction sometimes.

And babies are so precious.

I recently came upon a Scripture I wanted to share with you because it seemed very profound to me.

Exodus 21:22-25 (NIV) “If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”

Jack at 5 days

Now Christ said we are to turn the other cheek and love our enemies. I want to acknowledge that we are not to seek revenge as Christians. But moving past the seeming message of revenge here in Exodus (which is actually a message of justice), we see how much God values the life of an unborn child. If a person causes an unborn baby to be injured or killed, restitution is to be made because it is a serious offense. The child’s life is valuable enough to be defended in the court of law.

We have moved so far from that in our culture. And it honestly breaks my heart.

Tonight in our theology class at Scum, I am teaching on a concept called Imago Dei, The Image of God. When God created humans and gave them life He said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.“(Gen 1:26).

When God declared life for humanity He decided that each person would bear God’s fingerprints. Whether they have developmental disabilities, are infants born premature and on breathing tubes – or are elderly and in the last days of their lives on breathing tubes! Whether they can race in triathalons or are severely obese. Each person has value because God made them to be like Him. And because of that we need to value all human life.

I hope I am a person who stands up for life. I pray I am someone who encourages people to live their lives to the fullest and that way is often found in contrast to our culture’s ideals of life.

Jack Today, 21 months, 3 weeks, 5 days

And I hope as I raise my son, that he would know that he is important because he carries God’s Image. God loved him so much He decided to place part of Himself in him. That will never change. No matter what he does or doesn’t do. No matter how distorted it becomes and how difficult it is to see, the Image of God is always present. And because of that he is always awesome. Worthy to live, to love, to be loved.

May you know your value today. From the day you were conceived to the day you die, you are loved by God, and He confirmed that love by creating YOU in His image and likeness. I declare life over you and those in your life. May you go in peace.