The End of Roe
On Friday, June 24th the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade. I was sitting on a tarmac at the Norfolk Airport when I got the notification. Next, I found myself weeping for joy. I turned to Jenny sitting next to me and told her the news, then I confessed, “I told you ten years ago that this wouldn’t happen in our lifetime, I was wrong.”
I was sitting there remembering the first time I tried to explain abortion to my children. We were driving down hwy 6 and my daughter innocently asked (After hearing why I couldn’t vote for President Obama and listing abortion as a primary reason) “What is abortion?” I remember trying to explain to my kids how the federal government protects the right of a woman to kill a child in their womb. I distinctly remember my daughter looking at me horrified and concerned that I was telling a terrible lie. As though such a thing couldn’t be possible. Why would the government protect such a terrible thing? We sat as a family on a deck this past Friday night and I retold that story and then we prayed, sang, drank and celebrated the end of Roe. It is not, of course, the end of abortion in the United States. But it is a good and necessary first step. We celebrated. The kids made fun of dad for crying, but we celebrated such a grave and wonderful thing.
I have three things to say at this point about this moment for our young church and for us as Christians:
1) We must learn to celebrate the righteousness and justice of God whenever it appears. It is a tragic irony that the same culture that shouted “No Justice, No Peace” two years ago is protesting, burning down pregnancy centers and enraged by the court’s decision. Democratic mayors are shouting from stages, “F*ck Clarence Thomas!” There has been no greater injustice committed than the unabated fruit of abortion in our country. If justice has to do with protecting the weak, innocent and vulnerable - and it does - then the murder of unborn children by the tens of millions over the last 50 years is among the most rank injustices in history. It is a societal wickedness almost beyond comprehension. While the court’s decision may not have eliminated abortion in all 50 states, it did remove any federal protections on this heinous evil. Christians must learn to celebrate, with wine and food and joy every good gift of God and this is surely a gift from our God. We must also learn, in this particular moment, to celebrate such a good thing when it is called evil and vile names by unbelievers. Good is good. Beauty is beauty. Truth is truth. We must learn to revel in these things, especially when our neighbors do not approve. Love demands it, but most of all, loyalty to our just and righteous God demands it. Celebrate justice and righteousness, no qualifiers. No “and, buts.” Nothing but joy and smiles that our God has begun to push back on such darkness and death. He commands us to hate evil. He commands us to rejoice when righteousness is done. Celebrate.
2) We must marvel a bit at this moment. We have one of the most pro-abortion administrations in the history of the United States presidency. We have one of the most pro-abortion legislatures in the history of this country. We are in the middle of a month in which a good portion of our society is celebrating their own sexual destruction flamboyantly and with pride. And in the midst of all of it - rainbow flags and all - God said “enough.” God loves to speak loudest and most decisively when by all human appearances righteousness and justice is lost. He chose Pride month to put forward light. He did it most clearly through the wise and brilliant voice of a black Supreme Court justice that Black Lives Matter secularists hate and this justice pulled no punches. Our God is a marvel at letting things get really dark and then turning the lights on. Marvel at that. Feel small in the face of that. Rejoice in a God who loves to demonstrate his unassailable power in the face of human presumption.
3) We rejoice and we get to work. Much ink has been put to paper discussing the role of evangelical Christians in their support of mothers and children over the past few days. Prior to this ruling no other group spent more money and more energy supporting mothers and adoption and helping mothers choose life. This work must continue and grow. Furthermore, our work to see this evil put away everywhere must increase. Laws should be passed. Just officials should be elected. Life should be fought for in every biblical way possible. Colorado recently passed the most egregious abortion legislation in the nation. Those of us who live here must mourn such wicked laws that oppress the poor and the powerless. We drink our God’s victory tonight, but in obedience to his word, we hold up our cups and ask for more, work for more and entrust our work to the God who makes all things right and tells us none of our work done in Christ is in vain.
So may we not be Christians who shrug our shoulders in the face of such goodness. May we not be Christians who huddle in the corner afraid to celebrate righteousness for fear that those who hate it may be sad or angry. Rather, may we rejoice, may we ask God for more and may we worship with every ounce of our being the God who defends the orphan and the defenseless.