Inside Washington
What happens in the halls of national government – for better or for worse – can dictate the future course of America. Along with your fellow Prayer Team members, you are to be constantly and fervently interceding for all the men and women who serve in Congress, for your military leaders in the Pentagon, and for the President of the United States, his cabinet and administration.
“Inside Washington” will equip you to do just that … with reports on the nation’s leaders and the decisions they’re considering … or have already made. We’ll examine the implications for the nation, and call you to specific prayer for those needs.
Take a look inside what’s happening with the government … then choose to pray with a heart of Godly love and concern for America and the leaders God has placed in authority.
Pro-Life Marches Coast to Coast
Abortion debate, stalemate punctuates election year
by Nikolas Grosfield
Late January in the United States is well-known for at least five things. Snowstorms. The countdown to the Super Bowl. The State of the Union Address. Inauguration Day. And the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that effectively legalized abortion across America on January 22, 1973.
Considered to be one of the high court’s most controversial decisions ever, a group of around 30 pro-life activists wanted to memorialize it in a “March for Life” in Washington, D.C. in 1974. About 20,000 people attended the event. Since then, marches have occurred in the nation’s capital on or near every January 22, drawing crowds ranging from 50,000 to 250,000.
This year’s march was on a bitterly cold day. A high percentage of those in attendance were younger people, including 12-year-olds from as far away as Chicago. “The youth are at the heart of this,” said Archbishop of Washington Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl. “They are just so important to us.”
Perhaps the archbishop was commenting on the trend, according to Gallup polls, of young people becoming more pro-life over the past two decades. Between 1990 and 2010, American adults under 30 became 50 percent less likely to support abortion “under any circumstances,” and 64 percent more likely to oppose abortion “in all circumstances.”
The March for Life in Washington has inspired numerous other such events around the country. One of the biggest occurs in San Francisco, one of the most liberal cities in the nation. Named the Walk for Life West Coast, the event started in 2005 with about 7,000 people. In 2011 and 2012, up to 40,000 people attended the walk.
This January, these peaceful pro-life marches in two of America’s most outspoken cities were set against the background of the 2012 presidential election race. All four remaining Republican candidates strongly reject abortion on a personal level, and at least two of them oppose it at the federal level as well.
The White House provided its own context to the Roe v. Wade anniversary with Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, reasserting the position of the Obama administration regarding the new health care law’s mandate on religious groups. She said employers that promote the “inculcation of religious values” will be exempt from having to give their employees health insurance that covers contraceptives (including abortion). However, this narrow exception could only cover churches, synagogues and mosques. Religious organizations and schools, as well as businesses run by anyone who opposes contraceptives, may be forced to pay for them.
Throughout his term, President Obama has supported the abortion rights movement domestically and abroad. It will likely be a major issue in the 2012 elections, as it has been for every president since Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan.
Nevertheless, changing laws or presidents will never be enough to really win the national debate on this issue. Pro-life Christians must work to win their culture on a moral and theological level. Living like Jesus and sharing His message of truth and redemption always provides the best setting for transforming society – and for saving lives.
Please pray for:
- Courage and faith for all families that have been affected by abortion.
- Integrity and wisdom for lawyers, pastors and politicians fighting against abortion.
- Christ-like compassion as you strive to impact your community for eternity.
Nikolas Grosfield edits media reports on U.S. foreign policy and national security. He has a B.A. in History from Cedarville University in Ohio. A columnist from Montana, he has published over 50 articles. He and his bride currently reside in the Middle East.
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I heard 400,000 at this year’s march, full of articulate young people with determination to stop this crime against humanity. Talk about destroying the family – choosing death for one’s own offspring rates pretty high. Join US Catholics who have been asked to pray and fast Fri Feb 3 by our bishops about the conscience clause concerning religious organizations who will be required to include abortion in their health insurance plans. Thx, Pres. Obama!!! Let’s storm heaven!!!
My prayer is that every life will be as important to us as a nation and individually as he/she is to God. May the eyes of those who support abortion rights including our leadership remember that they have been privileged to have life. May we all realize that God ordained life to begin in the womb and that we shall all stand before Christ and give an account of our acts, deeds, and thoughts. This should humble us and cause us to repent of our sins and cry out to God for mercy. It is encouraging to learn through this website that more of our youth are realizing the gift of life.
I read these words on a bumper sticker many years ago and never forgot them. In fact I carry them in my purse written down on a very old piece of paper when I saw them many years ago. I am a retired OB-GYN office nurse and would like to think that some of my prayers were answered at that time.
SOME BABIES DIE BY CHANCE NO BABIES SHOULD DIE BY CHOICE
I love the sign “Today We March, Tomorrow We Vote”. And thank you prayer team for providing us with a place where we can publicly pray together for the life of our nation and for the life of the people that make up the nation. Today We Pray because there is no guarantee of tomorrow. Babies are being killed today.
My heart aches at the impending doom of an abortion being covered by health insurance as if a child is like a mole we want removed. And Sharon, I agree that we need to cry to God for mercy as He is so saddened by what we are doing to his beautiful creation. My question to all who believe Obama is a praying Christian – why does he support this? If he is truly a man of God and follower of Christ, his actions would reveal it. This action speaks volumes to me of his true walk. God help him.
I think the last paragraph is a great summary of the situation from a spiritual perspective. The prayer points are very helpful for me.