The book of Genesis, befitting its name, contains many verses that focus on births, lineages, and child-rearing. And yet throughout the book, we read of several women who, for one reason or another, were unable to bear children, and how the Lord, either by Providence or miraculous intervention, “opened the womb” of the lady in question, allowing a child to be conceived. That phrase appears specifically with regards to Leah and Rachel, the wives of Jacob. The former was not as beloved as the latter, and yet God took pity on her and “opened her womb,” allowing her to conceive (Genesis 29:31). Later, the Lord’s pity turned to Rachel, who had been barren; He opened her womb and allowed her to bear Jacob’s children too (Genesis 30:22). On those occasions, we credit God for His direct action in allowing these women to conceive children.

Beyond those times, however, there are countless more, where Moses just says “…and she conceived.” In those times, the Bible student recognizes that God’s “direct hand” might not have been involved, because the woman in question had no natural hinderance to her ability to bear children.

And yet, just because a baby is born in the most natural, ordinary, unremarkable way possible, doesn’t mean the Lord had nothing to do with it. Jeremiah was told by God that the Lord knew him and chose him for his great prophetic work, before he was ever formed in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5). Jeremiah’s birth might not have been out of the ordinary—his mother might not have been barren prior to his conception, etc—but he was alive. All life is a gift from God. Any life can be used by God to work His good will.

My wife and I are expecting another child. I won’t say “our fourth child,” because, over the years, we’ve had many miscarriages. Each one is a child. Each is a life. Each is a product of the Lord’s creation. They were conceived by natural, ordinary, means. Some died, and for that we credit the Devil, who brought the curse of death into the world in the beginning. Some lived, and we pray the child we are now expecting will live. If he or she does (and we pray it’s a “she,” too), we will credit the Lord for that, because it is God who brought the gift of life into the world in the beginning.

God willing, in December, we will welcome either little Katelyn Rae or little James Allan into the world. His or her life has already begun, however. It did not begin under any miraculous circumstances. It began in the most ordinary and natural of ways, but it began, and that it began is a credit to God. What happens to that life, afterward, is in His hands. The Lord knows our child, even now, even so small and young in the womb. As our beloved friends, the Reese’s said to us: God is using us to bring a life into the world, one of His children.

That’s a cherished thought.

~Matthew

Edit: this was written early in the morning on May 12. That afternoon, we had a routine ultrasound and learned there was no longer a heartbeat. We’re obviously crushed. We’ve never lost one this far along. 9 weeks doesn’t seem like long but it felt like it to us.

Please pray for us. We love the Lord and we love you all.