"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you." (Jeremiah 1:4-5)
The first time I remember reading this verse was when I was in college studying at the Newman Center where I lived. This verse was printed on a pro-life sign that hung on the wall in the study lounge. It depicted an unborn baby resting in God's hand. It seemed to stand as a reminder to me that every life, "is not governed by chance; it is not random," and that, "your existence (my existence) has been willed by God, blessed and given a purpose!" (Pope Benedict XVI)
I've always liked that: how God's words through Jeremiah comforted me and made me feel chosen—not like an after-thought at all, but more like the precisely thought-out stroke of a brush on a masterpiece painting. Or like I can rest in God's hands like that unborn baby in the pro-life sign.
Read more here about what respect for human life means in a broader and deeper sense.
Annie Deddens is a writer and producer. She runs a prayer ministry with her husband, called Pray More Novenas. She has a heart for the sick & suffering, and she writes about living with greater faith (hope & love, too) in this imperfect world as a Catholic wife. You can find out more about her here.
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