Surprised by Scripture Memory in the Delivery Room
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11
“Pull her up”, the midwife exclaimed. I reached down, limbs heavy like head, and failed to drag my 7 pound baby a mere five inches up my torso. The midwife helped me, and they began the newborn assessment.
She wasn’t there long before the midwife called for all the attendants in the birth center. We waited for the hearty first cry, but it never came. Instead, a raspy whistling pathetically uttered out of her tiny body. An oxygen tank and respirator mask was brisky retrieved and attached to her. Soon they were on the phone with the NICU team from the nearby hospital.
My dear friend and sister in Christ, who is an RN there, held my hand, got near my face, and mentally prepared me for what she knew was to come. There would be a lot of people; the “NICU SWAT team” as I came to refer to them as. There would be machines and hustle and bustle- and they would take the baby I waited 9 months to hold and endured 17 hours of natural labor by the grace of God to meet.
Right before one of the paramedics took her, she brought her near my face. As I kissed her supple cheek, still warm from the womb, words fell out of my mouth that surprised me later:
With a shaking voice I uttered “the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord. I love you baby girl ”. This is a reference from Job 1:21, which he cries upon hearing news that he has lost everything- his property, servants, animals, possessions, and children.
I didn’t know that day if I would see my baby girl alive again. What I did know was that even if I didn’t- the Lord would still enable me to bless his name in the giving and taking away. I have read Job before, but have never meditated much on it, or memorized it- at least I thought.
As I read the Bible, I pray God would help me call to mind what I’m reading in time of need. He proved himself faithful that day! The verse poured forth from my mouth out of my heart in that moment of great need. Most importantly, it brought me immense comfort and peace- even in the unknown circumstances. It helped me turn my eyes away from my present, scary circumstances- to Christ. I was reminded in that moment that Christ is all and in all (Colossians 3:11), that God is trustworthy and faithful and that nothing happens except through him and by his will. That my understanding is limited, but his limitless.
Take heart and be encouraged as you read the word this week. You may not “feel” anything, you may struggle to engage and connect with it, you may even be bored when reading it. God’s word does not return void, though. Keep on keeping on, making deposits into your heart and mind by the help and power of the Holy Spirit. These deposits of truth are of eternal value, and God will sustain you through them in time of need!
Also, for anyone who doesn’t know the end of the story: our daughter did live and is a healthy, happy six and a half year old, praise be to God!
