INTRODUCTION

A great war surrounds both the value and beginning of life. The onslaught of unscriptural terminology has not helped in this battle. According to the Bible, a woman who is expecting is "with child" (Genesis 16:11And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
See All...; Matthew 1:18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
See All...). Modern terminology removes this association with life, and termination of that life is merely labeled abortion (the cancellation of a mission) rather than murder (the ungodly shedding of innocent blood). A woman who is "with child" has another living soul "with" her. As she progresses she becomes "great with child" (Luke 2:5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
See All...), until she is "ready to be delivered" (Revelation 12:4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
See All...; see also 1 Samuel 4:19And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.
See All...; Isaiah 26:17Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) The Bible refers to a babe in the womb as a child (John 16:21A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
  See All...; 1 Thessalonians 5:3For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
  See All...). The child is very much alive and can move and hear (Genesis 25:22And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
  See All...; Luke 1:39-44 [39] And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; [40] And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. [41] And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: [42] And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. [43] And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
  See All...). Read Exodus 21:22-23 [22] If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. [23] And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
  See All... to confirm that an unborn child is a living soul.
• Read what the Lord said to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
  See All...). What did the Lord mean when He said that He "formed" Jeremiah in the belly? Was Jeremiah a living soul before he was brought "forth out of the womb"?
• Does the Lord care for the lives of unborn children? Why does the world want to depart from scriptural language?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Thank God for caring for those who cannot care for themselves.
• Ask God to give you a greater understanding of the value of life.

HYMN

Be Still, My Soul

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