Thanks be to God for every miracle!
O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
Every birth has also death as a potential, and it certainly reminds the mother-to-be suddenly at the latest on the onset of the contractions of her own mortality as an in-built instinct and a reminder of God that we must trust and listen to His voice to always in the right moment to make the right choice. These days, the active decision is often taken away from the mother in more or less subtle ways as soon as she enters a labour ward that is mainly run out of an overall-consideration for coordinating staff and resources smoothly at a cost-effective pace and to make the most efficient use of the available space.
It is a very life-changing process and for many mothers the very first time that she suddenly feels taken over by a sense of vulnerability that makes her surrender her life to God's power and protection, even and especially, if she has to choose from one instance to another between her own life and that of her child. Every pregnancy and every birth has life or death in its potential and as its outcome, and it makes us aware that, after all, life is not in our sole control and that we are indeed mortal. And for some souls it can be overwhelming at first after birth, even if everything went extremely well that we are now responsible for a new life in our arms that is totally dependant on us and no other person can take that responsibility up for us.
Parenting is God's way of teaching us selflessness and loving-kindness and also to take up responsibility with firmness and to raise our children as holy beings on earth, who abide by His law with a glad and pure heart.
These days, mothers are either often coaxed into 'functioning' in a world of either too much technology and interference of a whole host of medical intervention, or , if local resources are not available, they are left to very restricted help - midwives and friends, who are involved already in the pregnancy and post-natal are so precious to the whole process of making the right active choices that is best for mother and baby.
From the moment that we know we are 'in hope' (I like this mystery description, with which I was brought up as a child) we are also always anxious that something could go wrong at any time, or we have an overwhelming sense that all is just going to be fine. And we know in both instances, if we truly listen to God's voice, who always will guide us to make the right choice.
I always knew even before the babies entered my womb their soul, as God showed me all my babies in my dreams long before that, and let me even wake up with their smell and a sense of touch. And my children also had been 'informed' sometimes before me about their impending brother's or sister's conception, and drew even pictures of the baby.
Amram and me prayed with a contrite heart to God, for the safe conception and delivery of a child, in similar words as can be later found in Hannah's prayer, and He granted us Aaron, Miriam and Moses - now you probably know that our lives were not exactly easy but all of our three children we dedicated to God and offered them unto Him, and they all fulfilled their roles, for that He had chosen them, just like He had done with us : O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
1 Samuel 1
King James Version (KJV)
1 Now
there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his
name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu,
the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
2 And
he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the
other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there.
4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb.
6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb.
7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said,
O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.
13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.
20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
Prayer after the safe delivery of a child:
1 Samuel 2:1-10
King James Version (KJV)
2 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2 There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
6 The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and he hath set the world upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.
Births can be straightforward or they can be a very long and trying process but one thing is for sure, we will do the right thing, if we listen to His voice in our hearts and thus trust our gut feeling, as God speaks also through our body, and not just in words. We only have to stay open-minded to His multi-layered ways and methods to communicate with us.
It is very important that a mother is being given this so very sacred time and spiritual space in the birth process and the respect and dignity to bring her child into this world in a holy spirit with all the witnesses around being part of also of this miracle. And upon the safe delivery we thank God for His gift of life and praise Him! (By the way, Amram and me have never missed the opportunity upon every possibility of conception at procreation to give thanks to God and to pray for peace in the world - just another way of shining in God's Infinite light's ray - the same that our souls later shone as Jesus Christ and Mary Magdala even in the awareness of His cross on our shared marital way.)
