Surprises and Faith

Everything has been so perfectly average--and therefore predictable--with our daughter Christina's pregnancy. In the thirty-third week of gestation, all seemed blessedly tranquil for the final seven (more or less) weeks of pregnancy. Then on Monday afternoon as she went about her normal activities, she suddenly was taken by severe back cramps that didn't let up, and the sensation of contractions. After a couple hours her husband Ben took her into the hospital where her contractions and the baby's heartbeat were monitored. Since she was not dilating and none of the usual symptoms of emergency were present, she returned home. When the contractions increased in intensity and frequency (5 in an hour) on Wednesday morning, she returned to the hospital for further monitoring.

My heart is heavy as I see my only child facing the unprecedented. Combating the initial alarm with thoughts about God's goodness, I recall the fact that He Himself is the one knitting Ian together in his mother's womb, the truth that His love for both of them as well as for Ben is infinitely greater than ours. Obviously I am helpless to do anything but to encourage them to find peace and comfort in their loving, powerful, and sovereign Lord. They too feel a helplessness to protect the little son that they have come to love so fervently. However they too trust the loving sovereignty of God. We rest in His gracious favor to us, and trust that whatever comes, it is good because He is good and can do no evil.

So as the contractions increase or decrease in intensity and frequency, I rest in the knowledge that my children, my grandchild, are cradled in His loving hand.

God be merciful to us all.