If you dont, then here's a synopsis 😊
The husband was talking to the camera and said ' This time last year our pastor came to us and he said ' I can see you a year from now with three babies. You are carrying one, your wife is carrying one and your wifes mother is carrying the third and you are bringing them up to the altar of the church. I believe God is going to give you three babies.' They were now pregnant with triplets and about to deliver them by caesarian section ! As the mother to be went down to theatre to be delivered her two sisters stayed behind in the waiting room. The camera stayed on them as they prayed fervently and then started singing and praising and lifting their hands. In the delivery room the husband was comforting his wife and praying with her as three babies were brought into the world. It was such a joyful and unexpected thing to see on a documentary about British hospitals. There was no commentary offered. It was just a window into something amazing that God was doing for this family. All three babies were well when they were born and despite the smallest being really quite tiny and needing some support in the baby unit, all three were clearly going to be fine. They were given African names which meant things like ' God is faithful' and ' God heard my prayer'. Fabulous.
As I was watching it reminded me simultaneously of two people. Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist. And friends of mine who have had numerous failed attempts at IVF.
Im not sure how much has changed over the centuries. Being childless back then was very difficult indeed - stigma and prejudice abounded and no children meant nobody to look after you in your old age. These days being childless is still ' unusual' and the assumption is always that if you are a young couple then you will be popping out kids at some point soon. It is still very hard indeed for people to talk about being infertile. The emotional pain is immense for both men and women. And the stresses of infertility often drive couples apart.
But if the problems havent changed much over centuries then neither has the nature and character of God. He is still answering the prayers of infertile couples. He is still leaving it way, way WAY too late to intervene - and then intervening anyway !! 😊 He is still looking for hearts which will praise Him regardless, will refuse to get bitter or resentful over years of seemingly unanswered prayers. He is still answering those prayers in outrageous ways so that His undeniable miraculous power can be seen. Elizabeth and Zechariah in Luke 1 must have been through decades of hope and disappointment, treatments and humiliations, resignation and sadness. They were probably finally at a stage in their lives where they had truly accepted their childlessness and were just getting on with life and then..... BAM!
My IVF friends are still in the middle of that process. Endless rounds of treatment have proved unsuccessful. They have clutched at pretty much every straw and have slowly come to the conclusion that IVF is not going to give them the baby they so passionately desire. So they are now in the limbo land of ....' what next?' It would appear they have no choice but to accept their lot and grit their teeth and get on with life. And of course that is what they are doing. They have no choice. They cant see what God has in mind for them next year, or in twenty years time. Or when they are in their eighties. All they can see is the childless reality of today. And it is hard.
Lord today I thank you for Elizabeth and Zechariah and how their story can inspire us to hold on even when all hope is gone. When logic tells us it is impossible and people tell us it is too late. Your timing Lord is perfect and we cannot see even a fraction of the bigger picture into which you are painting our stories. Where there are areas of our lives which are barren and lifeless, areas we have prayed for for years and seen no change - please help us not to get resentful, bitter and unbelieving. For those who are longing for a baby this Christmas, please ignite hope again. And keep doing the miracles you have always done, bringing light into darkness and life into lifeless places. Amen
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