I have finally learnt what it means to ‘pray in the Spirit’. Two weeks ago, my best friend had a phone call from an adoption agency to say they had a baby for them. My friend and her husband are my husband’s and mine first real best
friends. We treasure them.
They have one child, a five year old boy. They cannot have more themselves. In May this year my friend’s husband was diagnosed with Thymic carcinoma. The tumor was as large as a coffee cup. He was 36.
3 months
of grueling treatment later and it has completely gone. I watched their faith shake with the storms, battering them from both sides. Their emotions were all over the place. But the amazing thing I noticed most was that with each gust, their trunk of faith
grew stronger and thicker. Their tree is a beautiful marker to our community who rallied behind them in support.
Now, both are in the middle of an emotionally exhausting transfer of a tiny baby girl. They are crying for joy, they are sobbing and steeling
themselves against heartbreak in case the birth mother changes her mind. The day after the baby was born, my friend called with a massive gust blowing her sideways and threatening to pull her roots out. The birth parents hadn’t turned up to the transition
appointment. It was an agonizing wait which she begged for prayer over.
I instantly felt the seriousness of the situation. I went to the floor face down aching for them. My mind began to pray for the parents to turn up immediately. But these words felt
distant from God. I began to listen. Soon enough I knew what God really wanted me to ask.
I prayed for the parent’s hearts. I asked for comfort and strength and even deep joy to come from this situation. I asked for God's timing. I asked for the
best outcome which meant God would be glorified, even if it meant heartache for my friends. I asked for this baby and parents to come to know Jesus and to see Him reflected through the God-strengthened response from my friends even if their hearts where about
to be dashed.
I asked for comfort and peace in bucket-loads to be poured out on all of them, so that the birth mother and father could look back and wonder what covered them. I prayed for Jesus love to shine through this tricky and emotive situation.
I asked for God’s wisdom and will to be done even if it meant my friends might be hurt again.
This was praying in the Spirit. It was real, heartfelt, right, complete, honest according to my knowledge of Him, and a request that was already yes
in Christ Jesus. God showed me what to ask and I could finally listen because I am actively living in His Word, and His Word is actively living in me. So I knew He would lead this request and it already would be yes, according to His Word. It is truly truly
amazing!!!
I guess I better finish by saying that the birth parents turned up 3 hours later and left behind their baby girl. They were not Christians but wanted Christians to raise her. They talked for hours and came back for short visits over the next
6 days. The process is not complete until the birth certificate is sent to the lawyers, and this might take another week, during which time the birth mother has the right to change her mind.
The wind is still blowing against the trees, though the trunks
are becoming thick and unbendable!
But guess what the four parents agreed to call their darling baby girl who I simply am bursting to meet?
Faith.