This time 3 weeks ago we welcomed our son Elijah into the world.
Our daughter is 16 months old and her birth was far from what we had prayed about, so we had been hoping for a more 'enjoyable' experience this time. In hindsight we realise that the fear of childbirth for the first time and the unknown had taken over last time and we had lost our focus on God as Lord.
This time we were determined to go into the labour looking towards God. So as the contractions began and got stronger I meditated on this verse;
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV)
I spoke in toungues throughout the pain and focused on the fact that our God is higher, stronger and greater than anything else in this universe. With a new, Kingdom perspective, I could face the labour knowing first and foremost that my security was in God. He knew the plan and the outcome!
In weeks running up to the birth I felt God pressing this scripture on me;
Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds. (Philippians 4:6, 7 ERV)
He knew all of my anxieties following Ari'Ela's birth and He was encouraging me to pray over all of it!
Every time I visualised this scripture, the word ASK was in capital letters.
Many people's perspective on asking God for something is to beg him, and to have your fingers and toes crossed in hope that he just MIGHT pull through. In this case, I feel that God wanted me to approach Him with my needs and to trust that He had already met them.
I had delivered Elijah naturally, everything had gone really well...but at the end there were some complications and I was being prepped for theatre.
I focused on these scriptures;
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20, 21 NIV)
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5 NIV)
I knew my identity, I believed I wasn't going to have to go to theatre. So I prayed, an honest prayer... God this isn't good enough, I know what your word speaks over my life and I know I won't have to go to theatre, I ask that this situation changes now in your name, in line with your word. I had literally just finished praying when the midwife came back into the room to take me to theatre, however on assessing me again, I no longer had to go. This was the most tangible answer to prayer I have ever experienced, God simply wanted me to present my needs to him, to ask and to believe that He had met them.
'Our God is Lord,' He is eternal. He is Yahweh!
Elijah Abraham Cree, born Friday 2/5/14 @7.32pm weighing 7lb 15oz