While most of us slept, Texas Senate Bill 8 went into law early Wednesday morning – legislation that protects innocent life from the point of a detectable heartbeat, or about 6 weeks gestation.
Abortion advocates had appealed to the Supreme Court to block the new law. As of this writing, though, the High Court has not acted on the motion.
I was in Texas this past Saturday night, hosting Focus on the Family’s See Life 2021 event in Dallas. There was tremendous energy and enthusiasm in the arena, a sense that the tide is finally turning on this half-century quest to protect every life under law.
The realities surrounding the barbaric practice of abortion are no longer hidden.
The unconscionable loss of over 62 million innocent lives since 1973 has scarred our culture in unfathomable ways.
For some time now, we’ve been saying that the facts are on the side of life. Technology is on the side of life.
And now, at least temporarily in Texas, the law is on the side of life.
The very fact that the debate is centered on a human heartbeat makes something perfectly clear:
Pre-born babies are not blobs of tissue – they are alive and growing human beings.
Medical dictionaries define a “heartbeat” as “The rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries” – and “a pulsation of the heart, including one complete systole and diastole.”
At the risk of stating the obvious, hearts only beat in the living. Regarding whether it’s really “life” in the womb? That debate is long over.
The hearts of those of us in the pro-life movement have been breaking for the ongoing disregard for babies in the womb and the burden on women and men that abortion produces.
Abortion doesn’t empower – it enslaves. It leaves wounds – physically, emotionally and spiritually. It also deprives the world of the greatness that are children.
What can we expect in the days, weeks and months to come in our campaign to champion the rights of the pre-born?
There are women in Texas today who were planning to have abortions, but who will now be given time to rethink their plans. This is a very good thing. Let’s commit to praying for these women – and moms everywhere who are contemplating ending the lives of their pre-born children.
The Supreme Court’s inaction, at least for now, is a very promising sign that five or more justices will respond favorably to Mississippi’s abortion ban, which the justices have agreed to hear in the upcoming term.
But for now, let us celebrate this pro-life victory. Let’s give thanks to God for the courage and principles of the Texas legislature and the convictional leadership of Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
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Nate says
-Why not commit to more than prayer? Commit to writing your representatives advocating for universal health care, paid parental leave, and finding ways to reduce our country’s abysmal maternal death rate, especially for Black and Brown women.
Kipper Tabb says
– Grateful for Focus & emphasis on Image Bearers 🙏.