The question came up in a Bible study I led on the value of human life. "Why does God allow abortion to continue?" I had heard it before. I had asked it before. There is no answer. We do not know. We are not in a position to counsel God. (Romans 11:34)

What do we know?

We know God gives and sustains life. We know He is not the author of evil and that sin and death came from Satan’s lies and mankind’s disobedience. We know He sent His Son to redeem life from sin and evil. We know He wants all to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. We know He commands us not to murder, and that He abhors injustice especially when it involves the weak and vulnerable.

We also know that God works through means. He works through His Word and Sacraments to call people dead in sin and make them alive in Christ. He makes those not His people to be His people, and He works through His people to spread His Word and accomplish His will on earth.

Why does abortion continue? I wonder if there is some insight in this verse, "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Now I know this verse can be, and has been, misused. It is not saying, "If the people of this country would just shape up then maybe God would stop some of the horrible things that go on." The verse isn’t about the people of this country. It’s about people called by His name. This verse is not about shaping up but about "shaping down." It’s about God’s people humbling themselves before Him, seeking His "face," His merciful presence. It’s a good Lenten verse for it speaks of confession and absolution.

Is there a need for such confession and absolution by God’s people when it comes to the sanctity of human life? Yes. There are those "called by His name" who openly promote the slaughter of abortion. There are those "called by His name" who see abortion’s evil, but fail to call it so. There are those "called by His name" who have been entrusted with the most powerful and positive message for life on the planet and fail to apply it to these issues of life and death.

Think what might happen if we, who are "called by His name," would boldly and lovingly proclaim His truth about life, if we would call sins against life "sins," if we would let sinners against life hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ spoken directly to their broken hearts, if we would point people who are suffering to our God who suffered and is still at work in suffering. I believe God would be at work in His people. I believe God would be at work through His people. And maybe, when it comes to the sanctity of human life, there would be healing in our land.