Author: Wick

“Aww, look at her face. She’s so cute. You know (I just read your hospital chart, and noticed you’re a youth pastor so I’m going to say something religious here that I wouldn’t normally say to people cause it might be offensive), I don’t get how anyone can look at the face of a baby, and not believe in God.” (shaking her head slightly and smiling)

We smiled politely, and nodded a bit. Our main goal at that point was to get some lab work done on our daughters’ jaundice level. So we weren’t looking to have a conversation on how God reveals Himself through the faces of babies. In fact, on the spot I caught myself with an urge to make fun of her comment. It went something like…”really? have you SEEN some babies out there?” Or….”have you seen the face of a baby penguin? they’re pretty darned Godly too.”

But that’s just years of cynicism against cute Christian sentimentality fighting against the honesty hidden behind her statement.

I do believe God is revealing Himself through all things created, not least of which includes my daughters. I believe God CAN use ANYTHING to awaken a connection to His Spirit, including a contorted and innocent face of a crying or content baby, or even a blade of grass blowing in the wind.

At the same time, I don’t think a cute baby is an automatic sign post that God is at work, unless you’re aware of God as creator of that baby. I can understand that someone who doesn’t believe in God can look at a baby and say “wow, cute baby” and that’s it. (or maybe even “mmm, looks tasty“) I suppose I hope/live towards my daughters growing up to speak the language their created selves are already proclaiming quietly.

“Do you think that three will do for two, what two did for one?” I asked my wife randomly a week or so ago. We were talking about what life might be like after the arrival of Ruby Anne, our third daughter in less than 3 years.

“I’m not sure, I guess we’ll have to see.” Neither one of us knew what to expect. It was similar to just before the arrival of Sophie Grace, our second daughter, only 15 months before that.

Sophie came. We loved her. We enjoyed being parents of two little girls who were rapidly growing right before our eyes. Life become just a bit larger. Our stroller now fit two. We talked realistically about getting a mini-van. We had one more mouth and personality to fit into any social situation.

But there were occasions. Times where Addie (our first daughter) needed some time alone with one of us. We would work it out so that we each had one child. On those occasions, we realized just how easy we used to have it with one child. We wished we could go back in time, and tell ourselves (me at least) to just relax, and go out and do more…to not feel so limited just because I was a parent now. (Obviously we learned that, having traveled to Hawaii with BOTH girls last summer…we proved we can do quite a bit 😉 )

So it was natural, for me at least, to wonder if upon having three kids, I would realize just how simple it is to have 2 girls out on the town by myself.

Yesterday was our Senior Pastor, Michael Jackson’s last Sunday at our church. I couldn’t expect Sarah/Ruby to come. I also couldn’t expect her to watch the girls all by herself so soon. But most of our babysitters attend the church, and I didn’t want to ask any of them to miss it. So I set off on my own, with both girls – all of us sleep deprived from adding Ruby in the past few days. To endure the crowds of well meaning and loving church family members who had questions and wanted to see pictures, and all the action of a Sunday School sugar loaded cake and donut reception. Whew.

“…So now, Master, look on their threats; and grant that we, your servants, may speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand for healing, so that signs and wonders may come about through the name of your holy child Jesus.’ When they had prayed, the place where they were gathered was shaken. They were all filled with the holy spirit, and they boldly spoke the word of God.” Acts 4:29-31

Peter and John had just been reprimanded by the religious rulers, and yet with so much public support, and such obvious miracles happening, they could not keep them silent or send them far away. They let them go, and they prayed the above prayer along with the other believers.

Being threatened by the powers of their time, they did not pray for their enemies’ destruction. They didn’t even pray for their own triumph/success. They simply prayed “God, look”, and asked for the ability to speak God’s word in boldness SO THAT healing can take place, however it is needed.

God responds to their prayer immediately. But it doesn’t look like a Benny Hinn service. Heck, it doesn’t even have the cars outside that a Joel Osteen service might have. “they boldly spoke the word of God.” THAT was miraculous and healing enough to BE God’s response. The fact that the resurrection had taken place, and in Christ – God had begun His final work of bringing Heaven and Earth together in a New Creation. We serve a Lord who is resurrected ahead of all things, and through whom all things may begin to be healed/made new.

I’ll confess. Throughout my ministry I’ve had moments/dreams/daydreams of boldly proclaiming miraculous things, and the Holy Spirit using me/blessing ministries in ways that would “WOW” humanity. But I think here we find a prayer to focus on, that echoes God’s heart for healing a bit better. May we each be empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak God’s word to a world that needs to have it spoken/proclaimed.