For many years I worked as a childbirth nurse. Early on in my career I had to clarify my position on life.
In 1973 I was in my first job—a labor and delivery unit in a busy hospital. The hospital was associated with a University Medical School. I don’t think I was aware of the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v. Wade at the time.
At the beginning of every shift, we received a report on all of the labor patients on the unit. One day I was shocked when the charge nurse informed us that the patient in room B was having a saline induction to abort her pregnancy, seven months along. Fortunately, I was not assigned to her care.
Throughout my shift and into the next day I wrestled mentally with the situation. How do you care for a young woman who is aborting her baby? I was taught that nurses provided cared for patients, addressing physical, emotional and spiritual needs. I would not be able to do this.
I wrote a letter explaining that I could not be involved in the care of a woman receiving an elective abortion. I gave the letter to my unit manager, and the letter was placed in my file.
This was a small challenge compared to the situation that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego faced in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar had erected a golden statute and was requiring everyone to bow down to it. When the three men did not bow down, they were brought before the king.
Nebuchadnezzar said: “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Daniel 3:14-18 ESV
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were saved in a dramatic fashion, and God was glorified. Nebuchadnezzar received a lesson about the one true God. God is able to give us the wisdom and strength to discern truth and stand firm. I need to keep my focus on God and his sovereignty.
Sharing this post with the Five Minute Friday writing community, Sweet Tea and Friends and also Inspire Me Monday.
Seven months, wow! How heartbreaking and inconceivable that she would choose murder rather than letting someone adopt the child, and that any of the staff would be willing to assist. That’s an almost fully developed baby.
I believe that if she had been fully informed about the saline induction, what she would experience as saline was injected into her womb, she might not have gone forward with it. This was an example of doctors being given the green light to experiment with a new procedure to end the life of a baby.
When Finland legalized abortion–before the U.S.–experiments were coordinated between vaccine developers in the U.S. and Finland. Women who elected abortion were placed in a study for the rubella vaccine to learn how a rubella vaccine affected a developing baby.
that would be a hard thing to figure how to do. How does one support a person who is doing a hard thing? FMF15
Annette, I think we are always in need of discernment and wisdom from God (his Word and through prayer). We also need to love our fellow believers. Have a blessed week!
Carol, Your message is touching and impactful. May we always keep our focus on God and his sovereignty.
FMF#2
Amen!