For Those Who Cannot Stand for Themselves
Well, it's the middle of the night/early morning and I'm wide awake, again. I cannot tell you the last time I slept through the night (partly from the third trimester of pregnancy and then having a newborn, but the past month more-so because this is just when the Lord stirs my heart for things that cause me to get up and spend time with Him)... My baby is currently into her 6 hour night stretch ;)
Maybe SOME of my sleepless nights are just my overactive brain that doesn't know how to shut off, but anyways... The past two nights my mind has been racing for a reason I haven't really thought much about to be honest. Of course there have been times when I've been upset about the reality of this broken world and what I'm about to write about, but I think having an innocent child of my own now, this topic is hitting me harder than ever before.
I saw a disturbing picture a couple days ago on my facebook feed that said, "Woman stabs baby 90 times with scissors for biting while breast feeding." ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I will not post the picture because I honestly wish I never saw it myself. My mind keeps thinking about that moment and that poor babe. The shock, the screams, the cries, the blood. My stomach is turning as I write this. Then I think about the mom. That has to be related to mental illness (though the article claimed otherwise) and I pray she is getting help and that her baby goes to another caretaker for protection and healing. The baby needed over 100 stitches and survived the attack.
I know we are all broken, but some of the brokenness in this world is more than I can stand...
Then, as I kept scrolling, I read another repost. This one was quoting someone from Planned Parenthood and said, "If the baby comes out alive, I'll break its neck." And again... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? What kind of evil are we living in? Even the thought of killing a baby in the womb is disturbing... Just because we can't see it happening, they can feel every single ounce of that murder.
Isaiah 1:17, "Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause."
My heart is heavy. I find myself asking God how He allows such evil to take place in His creation. I know He does not lack compassion or might, but He does still allow it (at least on this side of eternity). BUT, God is not idle and He will have His way.
Romans 13:4, "For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer."
In these realities, I find myself longing for eternity. Lord, come quickly... Then I immediately think about those I know who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ and I want to withdraw my request. I feel so torn. I know He stirs these things in my heart to pray though and to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves. What are we doing to protect the innocent? What am I doing?
Proverbs 31:8-9, "Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy."
Honestly, I know there are so many evil things that go on in this world that I cannot even fathom. I'm probably pretty sheltered, which I'm not sure is a good thing. I'm also aware that some type of evil very well may have been done to you at some point in your life. Maybe you're questioning God because of that. If that's you, I want to say that God has not forgotten about you. He grieves over the evil that was done to you and He loves you far beyond what you can imagine. I pray you are able to walk through healing and restoration that only He can bring.
Proverbs 18:10, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe."
I've never written a post like this one, so I'm not exactly sure how to conclude it. Maybe this was more-so for me to think outside myself a little more. To beg the Lord on behalf of those who cannot beg for themselves. To grow compassion in me in such a way that leads to advocacy...
