God in the Prenatal Emergency Room

We just had our baby girl last week, really, a gift from God.  However, it was not uneventful and now that she’s here, perfectly healthy, this is a good time to talk about it. Yes, there’s a time to speak and there’s also a time to be silent.  Now is a great time to speak.

Halfway into my wife’s pregnancy, we had an emergency with the baby in the form of unexplained bleeding and headed straight to the emergency room.  Needless to say, it was stressful, challenging and I did my best to focus on the Lord and His promises.

Once checked into a room, the first nurse came along and tried to find a heartbeat.  No dice.  She tried for maybe 10 minutes.  I could see her regular expression become more concerned with each effort.  After failing to find a heartbeat, she asked us to wait and went off to find a more senior nurse.

This new nurse came in and tried again to find a heartbeat, to no avail.  At this point,  you can almost begin to detect a sense of grief and my wife is naturally distraught.  They decide to get a more powerful ultrasound machine to find the heartbeat and after another quarter hour, they were still unsuccessful.

I think to myself the scriptures, “no disaster shall come near your tent”  and “none shall miscarry and or be barren in the land” and quietly attempt to reassure my wife.  The nurses have already begun to tell her, “It’s not your fault” and “you did nothing wrong” as they prepared for what they thought now would be bad news.

So I decide to take some action.  Notice how it can be difficult to pray for your own flesh and blood sometimes?  When it’s that close to home, as I often say, it’s often time to get the Rolodex.

I left the room for a few minutes and I called  a pastor friend of mine.  Not one of our typical “may the Lord’s will be done, he works in mysterious ways” folks that populate our churches, but a man of true Biblical faith and power.

You have to know who to call.  And before you say you have no friends who walk in power, I have called perfect strangers before for prayer – pastors I knew who walked in faith, power and healing gifts.

The woman with the issue of blood didn’t know Jesus or the disciples personally, she just pressed in.  Blind Bartimaeus didn’t either, but he shouted until he was heard.

I once called a minister’s office in Texas at least 10 times before they put me through to him – all because I persisted.  Didn’t know the guy at all, but I persisted.  I’m glad he wasn’t a popular “TV pastor”, just a pastor who operated in gifts of healing.

So back to the ER.  I call my friend and spell it out for him.  He tells me to set my heart at rest and prays for our baby.  I agree with his prayer and am strengthened in my faith.

When two agree, God does stuff.  But let’s be precise here, it was all about God answering his prayer, not a prayer of agreement.  Why is it important to be precise?  So we can understand and minister more effectively – not mistaking one thing for another.  How do I know?  Well, ministry for two decades helps you discern.

So I go back to the room and meet the two nurses telling my wife “not to blame herself“.   I quietly tell her where I’ve been and urge her to trust God.   Just as I finish, in comes a doctor and with a lowly fetoscope and in his second attempt, finds a strong heartbeat.

I’d like to say that I gave a cocky grin and said “that’s just what God does“, but that would be a lie.  I wept like a baby, right there in front of the nurses and doctors – it was a build up of emotions.  As I said, we can be less effective when it’s our own flesh and blood.

In any case, our baby Zoe is a delight and a testimony to the Grace and Mercy of God.

There are those who might say: “well the nurses just missed the heartbeat“.  Good for you.  Next time you’re in a pickle, go ahead and depend on the arm of flesh.

In my experience, maternal department nurses are equally capable as doctors in finding a baby’s heartbeat.  They do it many times a day. It was interesting to see the shock and relief in their eyes when the doctor found the heartbeat so easily.

So we are grateful to the Lord – the story of the birth is an equal testimony – but I’ll keep that one private.  Just remember, keep your Rolodex of strong believers, particular those who walk in gifts of healing.

In addition, dedicate yourself to Christian healing by studying scripture, ministering and eagerly seeking the greater gifts, so that you are the one on the Rolodexes.  Blessings.