““But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them turned toward them for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He was unwilling to destroy them, and did not cast them from His presence until now.”
2 Kings 13:23 AMP
I recognize this verse is talking specifically about the Jewish people and G-d’s covenant with them. But – have you ever experienced, first hand, the undeniable compassion of G-d and seen Him turn toward you in a powerful way? I have. I call those marker moments.
July 5 is a marker moment for me – specifically July 5, 2006.
It all started the day before. We were spending July 4 with my parents. I was laying around waiting for a miscarriage to occur naturally, knowing the baby I was carrying no longer had a heart beat. Laying around with me was a warrior mom. She was young, unmarried, and a friend of the family. Sometime in the afternoon, she went into labor and we headed to Tyler.
Fast forward through the details until a healthy, perfect, barely 5lb baby boy was born just after midnight on July 5, 2006. As they placed him in the bassinet, the warrior mom asked me to go see him. I laid my hands on him, prayed for him, and wept.
This mom decided to place her baby with an adoptive family – one she’d never met. But I had. I knew them from church. For YEARS they cried out for a baby. No one knew why they couldn’t conceive. They longed for a baby. She asked me to call them that day and see if they wanted a son.
The rest of the day was a blur. She recovered. Little man was born early – but perfectly healthy – and our pastor made the call to the couple. They were our youth pastors and were at youth camp 5 hours away. Story has it from the youth attending that the conversation went something like this:
“Hey (insert name) – do you think you could come home early?”
“Why, Pastor? Is everything ok?”
“Yes, actually, you have a son. We need you to come home.”
Screaming ensued. Rejoicing commenced. And our youth pastors made the drive back to Tyler. All I asked that day was if I could place the baby in their arms. I still remember them walking up to meet me at the entrance of the hospital – their faces held a look of unbelief and tears rimmed their eyes. I remember them sitting in the nursery and me placing him in their arms. I remember the tears streaming down their face. I remember the birth mom watching from the window and the peace that filled her expression. I remember introducing them.
Everyone at hospital commented what a miracle the entire thing was. They were touched by the love of the birth mom and the joy of the would-be parents. The entire thing was a miracle.
One day our friends had only hope of having a baby one day. The very next day they had a baby in their arms. That’s how quick things change when G-d turns towards us.
But here’s what I remember today – I remember with great clarity WHAT the compassion of the Lord FELT like from the birth to my miscarriage. I remember with great clarity HOW it felt when G-d turned towards us.
G-d prepared this family to raise a son. They waited 13 years to hold him. G-d knew this warrior mom would need a haven for the child she carried. She could have easily aborted him – but she did not. She chose life. She had compassion on child she carried. She knew he was a person with a destiny and she gave that to him. She was an instrument of G-d that day – an answer to prayer. The entire thing was a divine, holy experience.
Hours later I would end up in the ER as I delivered my deceased baby. The pastor roamed between the nursery and the ER. G-d was gracious to all of us. One life lost. One life gifted. Both lives valuable to Him.
Today is a day of remembrance for me. I remember the baby who would be 16 and wonder who he would be. But mostly, I rejoice in being used as a spiritual midwife that day. G-d used me to accomplish His plan for the birth mom, the family, and this precious boy. It’s also a time to pray for the birth mom, the baby who is now 16, and the family who has raised him.
G-d is incredibly gracious and kind. He is compassionate and loving. He is good and He keeps doing good. I’m so grateful He allowed me to play a small part.
Father – thank You for this warrior mom. Thank you for this precious life – this boy who had become a man. Thank you for the family who raised Him. Thank You for allowing me to be a part of Your plan – to be Your hands that day. Thank You for turning towards us. You are just so good and You keep doing good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen.
Daily Reading: 2 Kings 12-13, 2 Chronicles 24