June 15, 2022 – Click here to listen
Susan and Sam had two sons a couple of years after their marriage and decided that was enough kids for them. Fifteen years went by, and Susan became decidedly pregnant. She was at a point in her life where she had a promising career and was making close to three hundred thousand dollars a year. Their changing diaper days were just a distant memory, and the kids were at good, near trouble-free, ages and then along comes her pregnancy. It is the last thing she wanted or expected.
They briefly considered abortion but could not bring themselves to take their unborn child’s life. So, the baby, Mike, went full term and was born a healthy and happy baby. As he grew older, he often heard himself described as an accident. Imagine for a moment being told you were an accident. He became the butt of many family jokes and soon became embittered. He felt out of place with his older siblings taking centerstage and him being treated as an oddity.
It got to a point where Mike was considering suicide. One day he attended church and heard that there is no such thing as an unplanned baby or “accident”. The pastor stated, “You saw me in the womb and scheduled each day of my life”. And then he quoted Isaiah 44:2 I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.
The preacher went on as though he was speaking to Mike and only Mike. “Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned you, but God did. He was not at all surprised by your birth. In fact, He expected it.”
Things turned around for Mike after that church service. He went from making all Ds and F’s to straight A’s. He was awarded a scholarship to Harvard and went on to succeed mightily and this year became a billionaire.
My conclusion on this matter is that while there are illegitimate parents, there are no illegitimate children. Many children are unplanned by their parents, but they are not unplanned by God.
What is your response to God uniquely making you exactly as He did, with the family He gave you, the physical traits He gave you, in the place and time He planned your birth? Maybe that brings up a lot of confusion and emotion for you. Or maybe, God’s intentionality is deeply encouraging for you as with Mike. I hope if you find yourself in this situation that you know God has a purpose for you and that is encouraging to you.
God prescribed every single detail of your body. He deliberately chose your race, the color of your skin, your hair, and every other feature. He custom-made your body just the way He wanted it. He also determined the natural talents you would possess and the uniqueness of your personality. It doesn’t matter whether your parents were good, bad, or indifferent. God knew that those two individuals possessed exactly the right genetic makeup to create the custom “you” he had in mind. They had the DNA God wanted to make you.
I just pray that you will use it to glorify God. Mike is one of the most prolific philanthropists in the country. He did not forget God when he achieved his fortune. Just imagine if he had been aborted due to inconvenience . . .
Psalm 139:15
You know me inside and out, You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.