Expecting God to Answer September
2004
It was 9:21pm and I was in a state
of shock as I looked at my newborn
son. So was everyone else in the delivery
room, including the doctor. My labor
had begun that morning and it wasn't
anything like I had expected. The
date: July 23, 2004: a week too soon
according to expected due date. However,
it seemed that this baby didn't care
what I had been told or expected;
the pains that accompany childbirth
were upon me.
I got up early that day and headed
out for the four mile walk that had
started my mornings for the past nine
months. I had a great time talking
to the Lord and enjoying the early
morning sunlight. I arrived back at
home with no problems, showered and
headed out to run a few errands. That's
when I began to feel some cramping
pains that would arrive every 7-8
minutes. I called home to tell my
husband what I was feeling but told
him not to be alarmed. I was sure
that this couldn't be the "real
thing". I was out running errands
for Pete's sake and talking to friends
on my cell phone. Surely it was supposed
to be more dramatic than this if I
were really in labor. I was determined
not to go to the hospital only to
be embarrassed and sent back home.
The cramping continued all day long
and I continued to shop all day long.
I even went for a bite to eat with
my frantic sister who timed every
contraction and assured me that despite
my uncertainty that this was indeed
the "real thing". I called
my doctor to tell him that the pains
were now 5 minutes apart and 45 seconds
in duration. He told me to wait until
they were lasting at least a full
minute before coming to the hospital.
By the time my sister dropped me off
at home, I knew that she had been
right; this was labor. The pains were
no longer just uncomfortable. . they
were becoming unbearable and they
were coming every 2-3 minutes.
My husband drove at an illegal speed
limit to the hospital where I was
immediately admitted and given an
epidural. The doctor checked my progress
and reported that I was 9 cm dilated
and almost ready to push. However,
there was a problem: the baby's head
was still very high in my body. It
had not descended into a positin that
would suggest he was ready to be delivered.
A feeling of nostalgia rushed over
me as I remembered this same scenario
happening with my first son who had
to be delivered via C-section after
3 hours of unsuccessful pushing. His
head hadn't descended into the birth
canal either.
My moral dropped instantly as I prepared
myself for the inevitable; a C-section.
I had prayed for many months that
this would end differently. In fact,
I had prayed for several things. I
had asked the Lord to help me to go
into labor at home and complete most
of my labor at home before going to
the hospital to avoid a long hospital
stay. I asked him to allow the baby
to come a little earlier then expected
so that he might be a little smaller
then my first son and maybe fit through
the birth canal. And I prayed that
a C-section would be avoided this
time around.
The doctor was very patient and understanding
and tried everything imaginable to
get my little boy?s head down into
an acceptable position to prepare
to enter the world but nothing worked.
He finally suggested that we just
try pushing to see if I could push
his head down where it needed to be.
He stood back and asked me to push.
I did! I pushed as hard as I could
and I watched the doctor's eyes light
up and heard my mother and sister
squeal in delight as the baby's head
miraculously descended and began to
crown! The doctor quickly put on his
scrubs and called for his nurse. He
looked up at me and said, "I've
never seen anything like this before.
We are going to have a baby here!".
Ten minutes later, against all odds,
my son was born.
As I lay in my hospital room the next
day looking down at my beautiful son,
I began to look back at journal entries
I had made during my nine months of
pregnancy. I was reminded of the prayers
that I had asked the Lord to grant
concerning this birth. Every one of
them, even down to the baby coming
a little early, had been answered.
We had all been so shocked and amazed
that it had happened just the way
we had prayed. But why? Isn't this
what we had asked the Lord to do?
Why were we surprised that He answered.
It occurred to me how disappointed
the Lord must have been when we reacted
to His answer with shock and disbelief
as if we didn't think He could or
would come through on our behalf.
That day at Baylor Hospital in Dallas,
Texas, my belief in God was challenged
and I tell you this story to challenge
yours.
Do we really believe that God, governed
by His sovereignty, is capable and
willing to do what we pray and ask
Him for in our lives? If so, why are
we shocked when He comes through?
Why are we amazed when we get the
promotion, conceive the child or become
healthy after a lengthy sickness in
which there seemed to be no hope?
He is not only the God who can but
He is the God who will! We should
rest assured in His delight in answering
our hearts pleas and desires. The
next time you pray; pray expectantly,
without doubt, knowing and believing
that He can and that He will!
"Ask and it shall be given..."
Luke 11:9
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