New Birth

Well, here we go again. Our ninth grandchild made his appearance last night, just a few minutes after midnight. (Not soon enough for Mommy, I bet.) Thinking about that, my mind ran, for at least the ninth time, to the miracle of birth. (Note: Probably more, as I contemplated for their parents too.) (Note 2: This is not like the "It's a Muracle" from the Titans' announcer Mike Keith when they pulled out a playoff game victory. This is real life, new life, and the wonder of life.)

This time my mind ran down the trail of the baby's situation. Imagine being all snug and warm in your little world. Unknown to him, in this instance, his world is upside down, and is going to turn all topsy turvy in a short while. Suddenly his place of comfort and peace seems to turn aggressive. He is pushed and prodded from every direction, but one.

It is as if a giant hand has grasped his little home and begun to squeeze him out, like toothpaste out of a tube. (Note 3: He does not know about that but will soon be introduced to that and many other wonders–not miracles.) He has one option. That is to plunge, head first, no less, into the only place of no pressure. And it seems to be down, but will probably level out later, unknown, again, to him.

As he enters this "tunnel" he discovers to his chagrin (probably) that there is no return. He is committed to whatever lies beyond. In fact, he has no choice. The "Hand" is moving him regardless of his compliance or will. (It really is a Hand, as we will discover with him later.)

Rabbit trail: This reminds me of the time we visited the Cumberland Caverns. The "path" that the first explorers followed was delineated. Someone had actually chiseled out a walk way beside the actual passage to make it visible–without going into it personally. Good thing. Jim no go there. (Tonto) The passage was barely wider than a man's body and the stalactites and stalagmites were curiously angled to the left as we saw it. So they allowed the bodies to wriggle over them in the direction that they pointed, but there was no backing up, let alone turning around to return.

We wondered at the faith, luck, or possibly stupidity of the first guys in there to believe that there would be another way out. There was no going back this way. End of trail. Fortuitously, there was a second "entrance," thus exit. End RT.

As our newest family addition is inexorably expelled from his home and now passage, head first, remember, he pokes his noggin out into COLD air. He is used to 98.6 F (37 C. He is a scientist already.) This is, depending upon the facility, 10 or 20 or even more degrees (F) colder! The "geniuses" who brought him here at least recognize this discomfort, no distress, and swaddle him,  getting him into a warm place. (Yup, his sarcasm genes are working well.)

It will be years before he can contemplate this, but he has just experienced one of the most ingenious and intricate processes in the universe. All of this was accomplished without computers or other equipment and is over 99% perfect in its operations millions of times per day.

He will, I guarantee, come to wonder if such a process could have spontaneously, randomly developed over millions of years. (Note 4: GrampaJim is still waiting to see his first 747 emerge from a junk yard, but I digress.) Had this process failed at just one point in the millions of years of "evolution" he, and we, would not be here. We would not be anywhere. The undirected development of this would be a greater miracle than the process of birth itself. Scientists and doctors literally learn more about this every year. If we had to reconstruct it from scratch, we would fail, merely from ignorance of all that is involved. We are not even close.

So as the new Little League acclimates to this much harsher, but rewarding world, let's join in prayer and praise for him and all the other new persons who have joined us. We ought to do it every day so we don't get so far behind.

Lord, we come to You in awe of Your wonders and works. Our simple understanding is challenged to understand a peanut, as George Washington Carver once said. But we can contemplate Your power and providence in providing this new little person to enrich our lives and serve You.

Lead him. Lord, and all the others who joined him in this wonderful exploration of Your world and ways. Let him, and us, be like Moses and learn Your ways as opposed to just marveling at your works. Make him a powerful witness for You in all of his life.

Empower his family with wisdom to train him in Your nurture and admonition. Teach him early to love You and depend upon Your provision. Touch his family, church, community, state, nation, and ultimately the world in such a way that he is brought to full stature as a man of God. Then unleash him as a force for You in his family, church, community, state, nation, and ultimately the world.

God, give us men who will stand for You, in the gap, until You take them home or return. We anticipate Your coming soon. Let it be today. Maranatha!

We ask this in Jesus' Name, amen, Amain!

(And one more thing Lord, if it isn't too much trouble. Have him learn to proper use of I, he, we and me, him, and us. Just a thought. Thank You.)