True Mercy can Flow When Justice is Served

By Kristene O’Dell

This was the scripture that was on the heart of a friend who came to minister at the abortion mill this morning, Saturday, April 24, 2010.  The warfare has waxed hot at Northpark Medical Women’s Center for some time.  We have been moved back from where we used to stand and speak to those going into the mill.  There is a “security guard” who calls the police the minute we show up.  He has painted a yellow line on the ground that he believes is his property line and harasses us if even a hair is close to it.  Of course, we tell him that the line he painted is a figment of his imagination, but the police seem to enforce it simply because it is easier… “Can’t we all just get along?”

David is notorious for taking constant pictures of us.  He says that he worships the devil.  I don’t know if he really believes that or if he thinks it will get a reaction out of us.  But the truth is, the devil does have a grip on David.  Whenever we begin to read God’s Word, David begins to make strange sounds and the loudest burping noises I have ever heard in my life.  One day, we all started laughing and told him that no matter what our differences were, his burping abilities were amazing!  There is constant struggle with David, but when we leave the mill, we tell him we love him and that we will pray for him.  We really mean it!

Sadly however, as we plead with David to repent and find the freedom that only Jesus brings, he most often mocks God outwardly and theatrically.  And although we desire to see David set free from himself, we often pray that justice will be served and that David would not be allowed to harass us in whatever manner he sees fit.  Yes, some of that prayer is for our own benefit, but ultimately, it is what is best for David. 

In the midst of this battle, God has blessed us with new friends.  A wonderful group from the Spanish school at Christ for the Nations has joined us.  They are full of vision and faith.  Their presence has brought encouragement to our hearts and their sweet spirits are refreshing!  They want to stand for Jesus and be salt wherever the enemy is raising his ugly head.  They see the battle and they have run to the roar. 

Today, the Lord gloriously showed up at Northpark Medical.  As we prayed, praised, preached, and pleaded, the Spirit of the Living Lord moved.  People were out in the parking lot listening, instead of running into the building as fast as their feet could carry them.  At one point, a young woman pulled out of the mill parking lot and asked how she could be involved with us.  At another time, a man stopped to talk to us who said he was a Muslim.  He told us that Christianity didn’t make sense and that at no time did Jesus ever say that He was God.  We explained that Jesus most certainly did make that claim and that is what got Him crucified on a cross.  We told this man that when Jesus says to the Pharisees, “I Am,” that He is saying He is the same God that revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush.  He was either a blasphemer or He was telling the truth.  You could see God dropping something into William, our Muslim friend’s, heart.  He told us that he had never heard that before.  It was a really open conversation and one that I hope he does not get over anytime soon.

But something else extraordinary happened.  We all gathered across the street to pack up.  Most of us had left when one of the young ladies from CFNI realized that she did not have her keys.  She went back thinking she had left them in the grass by the mill, but they were not there.  A man that was walking by asked her if she was looking for keys and told her that David had picked them up.  Of course, he denied it.  The police were called, but were uncertain as to what to do without any proof.  At that point, the man who had witnessed David taking the keys walks by again.  He told the police what he saw…and get this…they arrested David!  Yes, you heard me…they didn’t arrest the pro-lifers…they arrested David!

Another man named David, not the security guard, and Iris Ramos are the CFNI students that have been raised up to lead their group out into the battle.  Iris is the one who lost her keys.  I don’t know if they understand how rare it is that justice is played out at the abortion mill.  God, in a split second, used a simple act to answer our prayer for justice.  If you hear rejoicing in my heart over David, the security guard, getting arrested, you hear right.  Not because I wish him harm, but because true mercy cannot be shown apart from justice.  Today, we can see that God truly is calling out to David.  Our prayer is that as David sits alone with himself in that jail cell, that the One who searches the hearts of men comes to do His convicting work of salvation. 

God desires to show Himself strong!  Today, God’s glory seemed to fall from heaven.  As we prayed and praised and simply sought His face, He moved mightily on our behalf.  Isn’t it time Church that we just go and lift His powerful name believing that He desires to move in ways beyond our thinking.  Isn’t it time that we stand in faith for the lost and our nation?  He wants to use us to break the strongholds that grip this nation and to break them in pieces…He wants us to obey Him, stand back, and see what He will do as we storm the gates of hell knowing that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ!