HERE IN THE REAL WORLD

As of this writing Terri Schiavo is still alive, although her feeding tube was removed on Friday. Doctors have said that she can linger into a death of starvation for maybe two weeks. Her mental capacity, I have read, is no more than that of a 16 month old. Yet, we would never allow parents of a 16 month old to starve the baby because they no longer wanted to care for it. Judges, a governor, senators, and a president all have their own various ideas of how this case should be handled, but the Bible makes it clear, “thou shalt not kill” (Ex. 20:13).
When Jesus sat down to speak to the people gathered on the mountain (Matthew 5), his words echoed through the halls of time. They offer comfort to all the players in this drama.
No humbler a situation can arise than for one to have to watch the child that the cared for being made into nothing more than a political pawn. They no longer have a say as to the care that their daughter is to be given. All that the parents can do is sit and watch as the drama unfolds and pray that their daughter is not starved to death. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:2). Their situation can be no poorer. They are to sit helpless by and watch as their daughter is forced to starve to death. The lawyer for the family was quoted as saying the state was so determined to kill this girl that they posted guards to make sure the parents did not put a shiver of ice in her mouth. A shiver of ice would not sustain life; it would only maybe add comfort to her last days. They family is helpless. Blessed are the poor in spirit.
They family can only sit by and wonder what will be the next chapter in this drama. All the family can do is mourn the decisions to kill their daughter. All they can do is mourn the decisions made that favor the wishes of a husband who lives with a girlfriend and has father two children with that girlfriend since his wife has been in this condition. It has to be sad for parents to watch such a situation unfold.
Yet, that is the situation. “Blessed are they that mourn: they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).
“Blessed are the meek” (Matthew 5:5): Terri Schiavo.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness” (Matthew 5:6). Blessed are those who thirst not after the laws of the land, but that God’s will in such a case be delivered. Not blessed are those who say, “Remove the tube,” or those who say, “Don’t remove the tube.” Blessed are those who thirst for righteousness. Blessed are those who seek God in this situation. Blessed are those who try and follow his righteous decrees in this situation.
Matthew 5:7: Blessed are the merciful. Mercy has been shown for years by the care givers, by those who have ministered to the needs of a caring family who had to sit idly by and watch their daughter being used in such a way. Blessed are those who have feed this child; those who have bathed her; those who have allowed her to feel a touch of a loving hand. Blessed are those who have helped the family in this most dire of situations.
“Blessed are the pure in heart” (Matthew 5:8). Blessed are those whose only stake in this event is to see that God’s will is carried out. Be it to remove the tube or to keep it inserted, blessed is the one whose only motive is God’s will.
“Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9). Blessed are those who are trying to see that what happens is done in the most dignified of ways. Blessed are those who sit down and try to explain why this should or should not happen; basing their decision on God’s Word. Blessed are our members of congress who are trying to but this in a court for review to make sure it is looked at fairly.
As with any type of case that has some many people divided, some will be persecuted for their beliefs. To those whose beliefs are in the will of God, Jesus said, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Matthew 5:10). Blessed is the man he stands and holds true to the teachings of God and does not give in to the attempts of man to play God.
These people who stand on the word of God will be persecuted as being religious fanatics. They will be called far right wingers. It will be said they are out of touch with society. Yet Jesus says they are blessed.
“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11).
After approaching a man born blind, the disciples asked Jesus who sinned the man or his parents that he should be born blind (John 9).
Jesus answered that neither has sinned. Jesus said the situation was so the “that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3)
We need to trust in God in this situation and allow the works of God to be manifest. God is the author of life. We must allow ourselves to be feed on His word and make our decisions based on that word.
We can’t make these decisions based on insurance policies or on the whims of the public at any given time. These decisions have to be based on the ever living unchanging Word of God.
It is to God that we pray and asked guidance, that we ask for discernment, that we pray for everything, and that we thank for everything. It is to God that we pray his will in this case and all cases will prevail.