God lead us where He want us to
be, not where we want to be. When we are
confronted with difficult decision, God
always gives us better options.
He guides and gives us everything: a key for every problem, a relief for every
sorrow, a plan for every tomorrow.
Yes, there is Someone who knows and
understands our every thought and feeling, the
pleasure and the pain, the joy and the sorrow.
Here’s a story of a doctor who was confronted
with a critical
decision to abort or not a deformed unborn child
in order to spare the child’s family with
hardship. The child turned out to be a
joy and pride not only of her family but also of
many.
Dr. Frederic Loomis faced a very
difficult decision, should he allow the deformed
baby about to be delivered to live or die. He
had only seconds to decide. Dr. Loomis had
delivered hundreds of babies, but this one was
different.
The infant lay in a breech position (feet-first,
as opposed to the normal head-first position),
promising at best a difficult and dangerous
birth. One of its feet stretched only to the
knee of the other leg. Furthermore, the child
was missing a thigh. The mother, a frail person
visiting the sterile delivery room for her first
time, wasn't aware of the grossly deformed child
struggling to survive.
Dr. Loomis closed his eyes; at his fingertips
wriggled a pitiful creature yet unborn. Would
not the most loving thing be to detain the birth
long enough to cause the child to be stillborn?
He agonized within himself. Will this kid not be
considered a freak, a twisted burden to its
delicate mother?
How can I justify playing a part in such a cruel
drama? Surely no one will ever know if I spare
this family from inevitable pain. The doctor,
through the baby's cord, felt its heartbeat,
dancing in rhythm to his own wildly racing
heart.
The secret of a happy life is giving
God the first part of your day, the
priority in every decision and the
first place in your heart. |
As Dr. Loomis continued to prevent the birth, he
felt the normal foot pressing for passage into
the world. Suddenly, he could no longer justify
"playing God." Instead, he would trust God to
care for this child against what seemed to be
impossible odds. Dr. Loomis delivered the infant
into the world, which, he sensed, would be very
unkind.
In the years that followed, Dr. Loomis often
second-guessed his decision. He watched the
anguish of the family as desperate parents
sought in vain to find some correction for their
child's deformity. Even after they moved away,
Dr. Loomis continued to lament the burden that
he'd saddled on the family. The heartache, if
often said to himself, was his fault. In time,
however, Dr. Loomis would find peace. It came at
an unexpected time and place, the hospital
Christmas party.
We turn to God for help when our
foundations are shaking, only to
learn that it is God who is
shaking them.
~Charles C. West |
Typically, it was during the holiday season when
his pain seemed most severe. He couldn't shake
the image of that unfortunate child from his
mind. While the world celebrated the greatest
birth ever known, Dr. Loomis obsessed over the
saddest birth he'd ever known.
At this particular party, the most heavenly
music filled the room. The sadness seemed to
dissipate as the rich tones of "Silent Night"
washed Dr. Loomis' anguished spirit. Following
the concert, a woman approached him. "Doctor,"
she said excitedly. "You saw her!"
Dr. Loomis studied the woman's face, wanting to
recognize her but unable to recall the memory.
"I'm sorry. I should know you, but you may need
to help me."
"Don't you remember the little girl with only
one good leg, seventeen years ago?"
Remember....it was the one thing in his life
that he couldn't forget!
In disbelief, he listened to her story. "That
baby was my daughter, Doctor. And I saw you
watching her play the harp tonight! She has an
artificial leg. She's doing well."
At her Mom's bidding, the lovely harpist walked
toward them. With tears in his eyes, Dr. Loomis
enveloped the girl in his arms. "Please," he
said in a tightening voice, "please play Silent
Night for me one more time."
"The young lady returned to her harp and played
his request with poise and perfection. As she
played, Dr. Loomis reflected on the incredible
gift of life. He thought about the sanctity in
every person, and he exhaled seventeen years of
questions and wondering whether or not it was
wise to grant a baby its life.
All babies are loved by God from their
conception. To take any child's life from the
day of their conception is destroying someone
created in Gods image.
God
does not lead His children around hardship, but
leads them straight through hardship . . . and
amidst the hardship, He is nearer to them than
ever before.
By
Tim Pedrosa
When we look back and
wonder how we ever made it thru the years, we realize it's not because
we've been clever.. but because God has been wise; not because we've
been strong... but because God has been mighty; not because we've been
consistent... but because God has been faithful. |
Tim
|