Have Life (Jn 5:39-40) By Rebecca Kiessling

14 Mar Have Life (Jn 5:39-40) By Rebecca Kiessling

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors.
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“You search the Scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life.” ~ Jn 5:39-40 (full readings)
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Rebecca’s Reflections: Men and women facing unplanned pregnancies are often heard saying something like, “There goes my life,” “This will ruin my life,” “My life is over.”  And so, they’re willing to end another life to save their own.  Why?  Because they are not willing to come to Christ to have life, and they are not listening to the Father’s voice.  Couples faced with the seemingly opposite circumstance of infertility will sometimes go to great lengths in order that they will continue their blood-line, providing what is for some, the only opportunity they believe they have for “eternal life.”  On April 25, 1999, the New York Times Magazine published an article entitled “The Sperminator,” about the practice of harvesting sperm without consent.  I was very interested in this topic because I was representing the mother in Michigan’s “frozen embryo” case at the time.  In this article, there was an example of a father who retrieved sperm from his comatose son – his only child – which he then offered up to his son’s fiance, who respectfully declined.  Experts explained that for some people, the prospects of ending their blood-line is like prematurely dying an eternal death, and that continuing their blood-line is seen as their only hope for an enduring connection to eternity – in other words, for eternal life.  Once again, we find people who do not want to come to Christ to have life.  If we want to change our culture of death, we must present everyone we meet with the hope of eternal life and of abundant life, which is only offered through Christ.
* Rebecca Kiessling is a wife, mother of 5, attorney, and pro-life speaker, sharing her story of having been conceived in rape and nearly aborted at two back-alley abortionists.  She’s the Director of Save The 1 and National Spokeswoman for Personhood USA.
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Faith Challenge: Start conversations with others, asking them what an abundant life means to them, asking them what they believe is the key to eternal life.  Listen, and then share with them the truth of Who we need to go to in order to find life.
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Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, LifeNews, American Family, Vatican, Project Rachel.
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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. LIFE Runners Creed. Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day: St. Maximilian.
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Faith Quote: “A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” ~ Jn 10:10