(Not) Binding Circumstances

"I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2)

GOD IS AMAZING.  As I begin this post I know no better words than that.

At the beginning of the year, Travis and I began a chronological read-the-Bible-in-one-year plan which, to date, has taken us through Genesis, Job, and the first six chapters of Exodus.  Every night as I sit reading the day's portion of Scripture I am repeatedly amazed by God and His sovereignty.  Woven all throughout these books (and throughout all of Scripture, for that matter) I see God working in every detail to bring about His purpose:

• making a covenant with Abraham to make him a great nation, promising to give him land and many descendants when at present he had not even one child (Genesis 12);
• giving Abraham and Sarah a child through whom God's covenant would continue to be fulfilled even when Sarah was past the age of childbearing (Genesis 18);
• preserving Sarah when she was innocently taken as wife by Abimelech and restoring her to Abraham (Genesis 20);
• providing a wife for Isaac and confirming it in direct answer to prayer (Genesis 24);
• opening and closing wombs in His time and for His purposes (Genesis 20, 29, 30);
• using Joseph's displacement to Egypt to preserve His people Israel (Genesis 37-47);
• preserving the life of baby Moses who would eventually lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 2-3);
• compelling Pharaoh to let Israel go (Exodus 6);
• and more to come, I'm certain!

Most definitely, this is not an exhaustive list of how the great I AM worked in, through, and in spite of circumstances to bring His purpose about; for every bit of the story plays into the big picture of God's plan, and we see His hand woven all throughout it.  Often, in the face of what seems from a human perspective to be an impossible circumstance, our God who "can do all things" is seen working and bringing about His purpose.

If you've been following my blog you know that I am 20 weeks pregnant with twins and being told by doctors that I cannot have a trial of labor due to a prior cesarean section.  But God has shown me through answered prayer, through His Word, and through a general feeling of great peace that He is not bound by my circumstances.  Weeks ago He showed me this and then just spent the last month confirming it to me through His Word.  (Romans 15:4 comes to mind:  "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.")  Even as I sit here fully realizing that, my eyes fill with tears of awe and gratitude in knowing that my God is working in, through, and maybe even in spite of my circumstances to bring about His purpose.

I suppose it's important to note that I do not claim to know what that purpose is.  And, further, I realize that His purpose may very well be the thing which I am not hoping for (i.e. a repeat cesarean).  But I am praying that God would align the desires of my heart with His and that the great peace He has given me in knowing of His sovereignty would extend into a great peace concerning the outcome which prevails.

From my human perspective, the circumstances seem impossible.

• Five out of seven of my doctors are completely opposed to VBAC for twins, and of those in the area whom I've contacted, no other obstetrician would feel differently (with the exception of maybe one who, coincidentally, is not accepting new patients at this time).
• IF in the last month of my pregnancy I were to refuse to plan a cesarean, I would venture to guess that I would no longer have a doctor at all.
• If I do consent to planning a cesarean, logistically I would have to go into labor naturally prior to that date in order to avoid the said cesarean (and that done only by exercising my right to refuse surgery at the time labor begins).
  
• And IF labor were to begin prior to the date of a planned cesarean AND the babies are in the right position to try a vaginal delivery and I do exercise my right to refuse surgery, I have only a two out of seven chance that a doctor who would be somewhat supportive of and comfortable with my decision would be on call.

Seems pretty impossible, right?!  Even with the faith and knowledge that God has given me, I have found myself doubting the possibility of a vaginal delivery.  The circumstances just seem too impossible.  BUT...

"I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2)

Despite my occasional humanly doubt, I rest assured that God's purpose for the birth of these babies--whatever that may be--will prevail.  I know that, as He has shown me, He is not bound by circumstances.  If He were, just think how differently history would have played out....