pro-life prodigal

A dude in his early twenties came and asked me if he could thank God publicly, last night at our prayer meeting. I'd never met him before, and I don't normally give the mic to strangers, but he didn't want to prophesy, so I I thought, "How much harm could thanking God do?" and handed him the mic.

He tells of his reconnection with his biological mom on face book a year or so ago. She fell pregnant with him about 20 years ago as a 17 year old. Resisting the pressure to abort her child, she gives him up for adoption and loses touch with him. 20 years later they find each other on face book. She is now married, with two children and her family are a part of our church. His first real connection with his biological mom and her family, is on thanksgiving weekend. They bring him to church. He responds to the gospel, having walked away from God as a young teen. God meets with him profoundly. He finds forgiveness. There is life and joy in his eyes as he speaks.He is not faking.

And I am overwhelmed by the reconciling power of the gospel. A son to his mother. A son to his Father.
And then I am struck by the courage of a desperate, pregnant 17 year old girl all those years ago, who gave her baby son the power to choose life.