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Comfort in the face of miscarriage
Are you, or is someone you know, grieving the loss of a child through miscarriage or stillbirth? Know that there is comfort to be had from God’s Word. In his brief 1542 piece, Comfort for Women Who Have Had a Miscarriage, Dr. Martin Luther points out that, first and foremost, such a loss does not mean that God is angry with you or with any Christian parents who are suffering. Rather, it is helpful to remember that His will is perfect, even when to you it seems to not be so. Furthermore, God has promised you that He listens to your prayers. And when you are so grief-stricken that you can’t find the right words, He fills in the blanks (Romans 8:26-27). In the end, He does all things better than you, or any of us, even on our best days, could have asked (Ephesians 3:20). Consider also the prayers of your brothers and sisters in Christ, who are also praying with you and for you; all of which He has promised to hear. To Dr. Luther’s piece we would add that when you have been receiving God’s gifts in His Divine Services, your baby has been hearing God’s Word. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17). And yes, babies have faith too, consider John the Baptizer in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:39-45). Thus, you may indeed find comfort and peace in God’s mercy. You may read Dr. Luther’s words here: http://mercyjourney.blogspot.com/2010/04/luther-comfort-for-women-who-have-had.html (accessed 25 April, AD 2022). Know that Pastor is available for Pastoral Care, and additionally, we will soon have the Grief Share outreach resource, which we highly commend to you. Know also that we love you and are praying for you.
Contraception/Birth Control: Issues to Consider
Scripture proclaims the sanctity of life from the time of fertilization (Psalm 139:13-14; Isaiah 44:2, 49:1-5; Jeremiah 1:5). At His incarnation, Our Lord initially took on the form of a one-cell embryo and spent the subsequent nine months in the womb of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully man at every stage of His intrauterine growth and development (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56, 2:5-7). Thus, as Christians, we recognize even the one-cell embryo formed from the union of the father’s sperm and the mother’s egg as fully human, one redeemed by Jesus through His blood shed on the Cross (Galatians 3:13). Killing the baby at this early stage of development is as much a violation of the 5th Commandment (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17) as is killing one who has already emerged from the womb. For those who have participated in abortion, God’s forgiveness is available. Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, Who became fully man while remaining fully God, knew that people would fall into the sin of killing those who were in the womb. He bore that sin into death that we might be forgiven of such sin. In His stead and by His command, Pastor is available for Individual Confession and Absolution and also for counseling. Additionally, our friends at Word of Hope are available, see below.
It is generally well known that emergency contraceptives/birth control agents like RU-486 and Ella cause the death of the embryo, and are thus considered abortifacients, namely, things that induce abortion. It is important to note, however, that many forms of contraception may in fact be abortifacient. Information about this is not widely disseminated and thus this effect is often not considered in discussions couples have with themselves and their physicians regarding procreation. Additionally, in considering any contraception, it is meet and right to remember that children are a gift from God (Genesis 1:28, 4:1; Ruth 4:13; Psalm 127:3 and many others). We highly commend to you this very fine review by Dr. Donna Harrison, which was published in the Jan/April 2020 edition of Concordia Theological Quarterly. Dr. Harrison is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, and the Executive Director of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The paper is lengthy but a thorough review, and very helpful in guiding discussions and decision making.
From Ethics of Sex: From Taboo to Delight #12-4472 © 2017 Concordia Publishing House. Used with permission under license 20:12-2. To order this resource, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit https://www.cph.org/p-30437-ethics-of-sex-from-taboo-to-delight.aspx
Abortion Pill Reversal
If you have taken the first dose of the abortion pill (Mifeprex or RU-486) and are having regrets, you may be able to get help to save your pregnancy! Time is of the essence though, call 877-558-0333 or log on to https://www.abortionpillreversal.com. Know also that we love you and are praying for you and your baby.
Post Abortion
If you have lost a child through abortion, or have been part of an abortion decision, and are experiencing the pain of guilt, regret and grief, know that you are not alone and that there is forgiveness in Jesus Christ. Lutherans for Life has developed Word of Hope, a resource to comfort you and to refer you for ongoing care. All of their services are carried out in strict confidence. You may reach the Word of Hope counsellors at 888-217-8679 and may learn more at https://www.word-of-hope.org. Pastor is also available for individual Confession and Absolution. Know always that we love you and are praying for you.