Our Gift

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;

And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even

praise unto our God:

Many shall see it, and fear,

And shall trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust,

And respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

5 Many, O LORD my God,

Are thy wonderful works which thou hast done,

And thy thoughts which are to us-ward:

They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee:

If I would declare and speak of them,

They are more than can be numbered.

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire;

Mine ears hast thou opened:

Burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come:

In the volume of the book it is written of me, 

8 I delight to do thy will, O my God:

Yea, thy law is within my heart.

 (Psalms 40:1-8) KJV

We prayed and we prayed. What for? For a healthy baby, one with a palate! Twice we have had children who had a birth defect known as Pierre Robin Sequence. It falls in the category of Cleft Palates but is somewhat different because the airway is usually obstructed and causes breathing difficulties. So while expecting our 6th child this condition was on our minds. Will we have another one? 

Let me make one point here, I know there are many families out there who have experienced far worse issues in bringing children into the world, my heart goes out to you.

We had ultrasounds and the doctors felt confident...as confident as they could in their limited knowledge, that this baby was good to go.

On Friday at 7:31 AM a healthy baby girl was born to us! (I won't write the name here for privacy reasons.) She can breath, eat, and cry just like a "normal" baby should. HOW AMAZING!!!

God does answer prayers, and even if he hadn't answered this specific one the way we would have wanted, we would have praised Him anyway. But no, He gave us a wonderful, healthy child and we are rejoicing. 

So how do you praise God for something like this? Psalm 40:6-8 gives that answer: 

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

but you have given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering

you have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

8 I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.”

 (Psalm 40:6-8) 

Basically it is a gift...how do you repay a gift? You don't, that would be considered a purchase not a gift.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins:
Thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
Marvellous are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee,
When I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect;
And in thy book all my members were written,
Which in continuance were fashioned,
When as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:
When I awake, I am still with thee.
 (Psalms 139:13-18)