Life hangs in the balance as I write. A precious tiny life may not take his first birth because his mother feels overwhelmed and trapped by her circumstances. But his mother is here. Not long ago she was in an abortion clinic’s parking lot – but something prompted her to leave and come here.
This woman will have an ultrasound in our clinic and she will get to see the amazing wonder of the life growing within her. And we pray that she will choose today to welcome her little one into the world in several months.
You have probably seen an ultrasound. It can be an amazing experience, especially when the life you see is your own child. We get this window to the womb via ultrasound. And God has a much greater window to the womb. He is knitting this baby together. He knows this little one just like He knew this child’s mother and just like He knew you.
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13-14a, 16
Each person is “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Human life is amazing and sacred.
It is this God-inspired awe for all human life that is behind the Catholic Church observing October as Respect Life month each year. And whether you are Catholic or Protestant, evangelical or charismatic from a non-denominational church, you make up the body of Christ in the greater Madison area who upholds the sanctity of all human life. We hold in common our love for Jesus and our respect for the value of all human life.
The wonder of life, how God has formed each one of us, is truly awe-inspiring. You and I – and every person, born or unborn, – are “wonderfully made.” Today’s tiny baby within his mother’s womb and his mother and you are all wonderfully made.
Here are just a few of the wonderful ways that God is knitting together this little one womb:
- Conception is the beginning of a unique and living member of the human species. On day 1, when conception occurred, the DNA blueprint for this new human was determined. Nothing will be added or taken away from that blueprint for the life-span of this individual. Eye color, hair color and even the details of his or her fingerprints are established from the moment the egg and sperm unite.
- His or her heart began to beat just 21 days after fertilization, or 5 weeks after his mother’s last menstrual period (LMP) began.
- At 8 weeks after the mother’s LMP, this little embryo was about ½” long. Fingers and toes began to form. Fingerprints followed a week later. The brain and nervous system began to develop.
- This little one began his/her hiccups and yawns at 52 days after conception.
- Beginning at 11 weeks, this fetus will grow rapidly for several weeks. His or her body will increase in weight 30 times and triple in length!
- At 24 weeks, this baby will recognize his or her mother’s voice, breathing and heartbeat.
- At 28 weeks, fetal brainwave activity will feature sleep cycles, including REM (the stage when dreaming occurs).
- The placenta and umbilical cord separate the mother from the baby. The placenta and umbilical cord exist because the baby has a different and entirely separate circulatory system from the mother and their blood must not intermingle. “If something happens, such as a traumatic injury, that causes their blood to mix, it can cause serious complications.”
The more we learn about how wonderfully each person is made, the more fascinating it is. All human life is due great respect and should be treated with care and compassion.
Please join us in prayer for today’s tiny baby whose life hangs in the balance.
Would you like to Respect Life every week by praying regularly for the moms, dads and babies we see? Join our prayer team.