As we knelt there, weeping and pleading for an immediate and miraculous healing, God answered our prayer. He said, “No.” I didn’t hear an audible voice, but the overwhelming sense that He had something else in mind was unmistakable. By the time we said “Amen,” I was certain Sophie’s condition was by design. The Sovereign God of the Universe wanted us at that hospital and we just needed to figure out why. We had knelt with a purpose, but in the midst of our tear-stained intercessions, He revealed His.I started to tell Tammie what I felt the Lord was saying, but she beat me to it. “Jamey, I don’t understand it, and I don’t like it, but God has us here for a reason.” Almost immediately Paul’s words to the saints at Ephesus came to mind and I recited them aloud, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” We weren’t sure what “good work” God had “prepared beforehand,” but whatever it was, we were willing to do it.
Over the course of the next seven days, we realized why we were there – to simply display His workmanship. During our time in the hospital, my wife and I were able to talk extensively about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with one of our nurses. She even downloaded a sermon I had preached on Aug 17 and proceeded to watch it right at her desk. When she finished, she came to our room and asked what time church started because she wanted to come. The next day, I just sat and marveled as my wife ministered to a young unwed, pregnant nurse who was visibly down-trodden. There were many other conversations about our Great God why we were there, not to mention the testimony of the saints as Christian friends kept our room filled with love, laughter and prayer. But perhaps the greatest confirmation of God’s intentions came directly from our time in the NICU.
While we were there, we met Dan and Amy (not their real names) whose daughter’s bed was right next to Sophie’s. Before they left, we were able to share with them our faith in God and invite them to church. A few days later, Tammie was released, but Sophie had to stay.
The following Sunday we went to church, trusting in God, but sad that our little princess couldn’t be with us. And yet in the midst of our sorrow, God reminded us that He is faithful. During the “greeting of the guests,” I turned and looked right at Dan and Amy. I couldn’t believe it, they had come! I went and talked with them for a few minutes but the music was starting back up so I assured them we’d talk later. After the service, we started heading their way. When Tammie and I got there Amy introduced us to her mother who was just glowing. Tammie started to chat with Amy, but her mother pulled me aside. She proceeded to tell me that she had been praying for months that her daughter and son-in-law would get involved in church, but they never budged, so she just continued to pray. She said, “I hope you don’t take this wrong, but I firmly believe that your baby, Sophia, came early, had the problems she had, and was put into a bed next to my granddaughter for the sole purpose of you meeting my daughter and inviting her to church. I’ve been pleading with God for quite some time about this and I’m convinced He’s used you and your wife to answer my prayers. Thank you.” I never know what to say in those moments. Saying “your welcome” just seems odd to me, because I feel like I’m only doing my job. And yet I didn’t want to stand there in awkward silence either, so, I simply said, “Praise God.”
A few days later, we brought our beautiful daughter home from the hospital. I can’t tell you how great it is just to be able to pick her up and hold her in my arms, to smell her sweet skin, to gaze at the intricacies of God’s creation, to feel her tiny little fingers wrap around mine, and to hear the gentle coos of a healthy baby. I’m overjoyed at God’s precious gift and stand in awe with the realization that we are undeniably His workmanship. Like the masterpiece of some great artist, we were indeed created to give Him the glory.
