Imago Dei

I know that I haven’t been very consistent in writing here recently, but there are some things that are keeping me awake at night that I truly feel God is asking me to write down and share. When that happens, I try to be obedient. My heart is heavy and broken. There are so many things happening in the world right now that are affecting me deeply and are affecting those around me. I won’t presume to speak on matters of which I am not well informed and I will not presume to know others’ experiences. I do not claim to be an expert on any of this, but I will share some thoughts that I have been having. Please forgive any rambling or poorly chosen wording as I write this late at night with a cat on my shoulder begging to play fetch after many nights of little sleep due to my teething baby.

Of late, there are many things that have caused me to ponder the phrase “pro-life” and what it really means. I will say that it is a concept that many claim to subscribe to and it’s a phrase that a lot of people misinterpret to have so much narrower of a scope than it really should. You see, I truly believe that God is pro-life. After all, humanity was created in His image and He loves us. One of the things I’ve always been persistent in praying is that God would break my heart for the things that break His and right now, I can’t help but to believe that God’s heart is in pieces.

My heart is broken for every child whose life is snuffed out by abortion. My heart is broken for every woman who has felt that decision was necessary for any reason. My heart breaks for those who have suffered an assault, societal pressures, individual pressures, a hopeless situation, and any other circumstance that may have led them to this place. God loves them. They are made in His image. (Psalm 139:13-15)

My heart is broken for every child without a home, without parents who love them or whose parents may love them but cannot care for them, and who have been separated from their families and placed in the foster system for so many different reasons. My heart is broken for every child who has suffered at the hands of those who are meant to protect them. My heart is broken for every child who has suffered loss. God loves them. They are made in His image. (James 1:27)

My heart is broken for every person who believes that the economy is more important than the lives of human beings created in the image of God. My heart is broken for every person who has suffered because of this. My heart is broken that a person could think that their convenience is worth another person’s life. God loves them. They are made in His image. (Matthew 6:24)

My heart is broken for every person who suffers in silence and wrestles their demons alone. My heart is broken for every person who sees no relief, no way out and takes matters into their own hands by ending their life. God loves them. They are made in His image. (Psalm 34:18)

My heart breaks for every person who is deemed “illegal” or less than human by those from whom they seek sanctuary. My heart breaks for those forced to live in inhuman conditions because they dared to try and escape a dire situation. God loves them. They are made in His image. (Exodus 22:21)

My heart breaks for every person who suffers discrimination because of their lifestyle, sexuality, or identity. My heart breaks for those who have been shunned by their families, friends, and neighbors. My heart breaks for the treatment they’ve received. God loves them. They are made in His image. (John 3:16)

My heart breaks for every man, woman, and child who has been judged, discriminated against, and murdered for the color of their skin. My heart breaks for the parents who hug their child extra tight each time they go out and the husbands and wives who make sure to say I love you one one more time before they leave for fear they won’t make it back home. My heart breaks for the parents who have to have tough conversations with their children about how they have to be extra careful how they behave and what they do, because they’re more likely to be meaninglessly murdered because of the color of their skin. My heart breaks for those who are so desperate to be heard that they have been driven to destruction. God loves them. They are made in His image. (Galatians 3:28)

As I read more of the stories of George Floyd and Ahmad Arbery and countless others, I found my heart breaking. As I read the callous responses and heartless judgments of those who claim to follow Christ - who claim the title “pro-life”, I found myself sobbing uncontrollably in the floor of my bedroom. We MUST do better.

To be pro-life is to be pro-ALL life. Without judgement of circumstance, simply recognizing that every single human being is valuable to God, uniquely created to bear His image in this world. THIS is who God is and this is who you claim to represent. I encourage you to pray that God would begin to break you for what breaks Him so that we may all better represent who He truly is. It’s not fun, it’s not easy, but following Him isn’t supposed to be.

There’s a lot more I could say. Probably a lot more I should say. But this is what has been weighing on my mind and my heart. My heart is lighter now. Light enough to sleep, but not so light as to think that I've fulfilled my role. This battle is far from over for any of us. God bless you all and goodnight.

*This image does not belong to me.