The Revealer of Secrets
“This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.’” Jeremiah 33:3 The Message
Exactly two years ago today, the pregnancy test kit that I was holding told me I was pregnant. In less than five seconds, a red line appeared on the white strip in the middle of the stick, confirming what I already knew in my heart.
My husband Michael couldn’t believe it, and understandably so. It was the first time in our two-year marriage that we had consciously attempted to start a family. Only three weeks later, we were pregnant. It was marvelous indeed and the proud father-to-be was in tears.
More wonderful to us was the story behind the story. For that I have to take you two years back in time. It was a happy time. I just got engaged to Michael and we were busy preparing for our garden wedding. In the thick of it all, one question was nagging at me: When is the right time for us to have a baby?
It wasn’t because I was too eager to start a family. In fact, it was just the opposite. I wanted to take my sweet time and have the longest honeymoon possible with my husband. To understand why, I have to take you further back in time—this time to my college days. I was one of the most loyal members of the Single Since Birth Club and, although it made me the butt of joke at times, I was mighty proud of it. It was during this time that I had told God that, if possible, could He please let me date only the person that He wanted me to marry. I was quite idealistic, but God seemed to take me up on my request. I ended up not dating anyone until I met Michael.
I was 28 when our paths crossed. We were friends for a long time before he pursued me. He said one of the things that piqued his interest was “my high standards.” Here was a guy who appreciates my never-been-kissed status. That made all the years of waiting worth it.
When Michael finally mustered the guts to court me, he said his intention was for the relationship to lead to marriage. Because we had been friends for a long time, it was a short courtship—three months to be exact. Then we were engaged! The wedding was set three months after my 34th birthday. Although I knew without a doubt that God had planned for me to marry at this age, by the world’s standards it was considered a late age to start a family.
And this was the cause of my dilemma. Since we had a short courtship and engagement, I wanted to take ample time to get to know and establish a solid relationship with my husband before we had kids. However, I knew there would be pressures coming from well-meaning family and friends. More than that, I told myself, what if my reasons for wanting a long honeymoon were selfish? What if God wanted us to have kids right away? I certainly wouldn’t want my personal preference to get in the way of God’s plan.
And so one day, while lounging alone in my sister’s room, I prayed, asking God to reveal to me the right time to have children. “Lord,” I said, “I don’t want to be pressured, but at the same time I don’t want to keep it off if it is already in your plan. Just tell me when it is time.” I haven’t even finished my sentence when an answer came. I was caught off guard.
The Bible points out that God speaks to His people in many ways. He reveals His plans through the written Word, through the counsel of mature believers, and even through dreams and visions. In all these instances, it is the Holy Spirit who works behind the scenes to makes His will known to us. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit has been sent to teach us all things and bring to mind what He has told us (John 15:25-27).
I believe what I saw that day was a vision. For as I was praying, I saw the number 36 in my mind’s eye. I did not conjure this up, nor was I thinking of a number as I was conversing with my Heavenly Father. It flashed in my mind from out of the blue. Just as instantly I understood that God had just told me that I was to have kids at the age of 36. A peace settled in my heart and the burden was lifted.
Although a little surprised that God would answer my prayer that quickly, I was very grateful for that revelation because it freed me to enjoy my marriage without feeling guilty or pressured. There was just a deep assurance that God is very much involved in our case and it would all work out according to His timetable.
A few months after that vision, we got married, settled down in my husband’s hometown and received a notification that our permanent resident visa to Canada had been granted. Occasionally well-meaning family and friends asked why it was taking so long for us to be pregnant. We just smiled and told them that it was all in God’s time. A close relative even went as far as asking if we were using contraceptives. We just had a laugh and told her we weren’t.
Two years later, we were already in Canada when the desire to have children finally surfaced. We were both unaware that we were separately praying for God to give us a child. Late in July 2010, I told God as I was rummaging through my closet that I wish I would be pregnant the very next month. My husband, on the other hand, was telling God that he had waited long enough. It was time to have kids.
It was not a project that we could start and succeed at at will. We needed God to help us out. You see, I have always had an erratic menstrual period, making it hard to predict when the best time is to plan for a baby. That was probably the reason why we didn’t conceive earlier in our marriage. Now I had read that it usually takes 5 cycles for a healthy couple to conceive. This explains why we were overjoyed, but we were not entirely clueless.
It was now the last week of August. A few days before we found out about the good news, I noticed that I was quite breathless under the shower. Running after the train to work had me huffing and puffing like never before. It seemed out of the ordinary. Since the symptoms were mild, I didn’t think much about it.
However, when I read my Bible after work that night, I had an impression that God was going to bless us in a big way. After a short prayer, I casually opened my Bible to where I last read it the night before. I was done with the book of Ruth, so I opened the next book which happened to be 1 Samuel. I was introduced to Hannah, a barren woman who earnestly prayed for a child. God heard her plea and gifted her with a son, who grew up to be the prophet Samuel. I had read this story many times before, but that night it seemed to leap out of page.
Even before I finished reading Hannah’s story, I called Michael in. “I think God is telling us we’re pregnant,” I exclaimed. Then we did something outrageous. We laid hands on my tummy and prayed for our future child, asking God to bless her and seal her destiny.
The next morning Michael woke up early to buy a pregnancy test kit before we went off to work. It was after dinner that night that we tested and knew for sure that we were going to be parents! Just as God had revealed two years earlier, I became a mom at 36. Mishca Jadynn was born three months before my 37th birthday.
This was just one of the many times God had lovingly revealed and performed His will for me. In every season of life, it is always amazing to hear God and see Him work on my behalf to let His plans come to pass. I am in awe of His faithfulness and love. Truly, God never forgets His promises. And He is never too early nor too late. His timing is impeccable.
Is there a dream in your heart that you have been waiting for long? Does it sometimes feel like it’s never going to happen? Why don’t you ask the Revealer of hidden things about it? If it is part of His plan, trust Him to bring it to fruition. Remember that He knows what’s best and He has a good reason for the seeming delay.
Perhaps you are experiencing just the opposite. Maybe you have been thrust into a position that you feel unprepared for and you are overwhelmed. It is not too late to ask God for the grace and wisdom to handle life’s responsibilities.
Whatever our station in life, let’s try not to measure our lives according to the world’s standards. Sarah was 90 years old when she conceived and gave birth to Isaac. Mary, on the other hand, was barely out of her teens when she was given the great task of raising the Savior of the world. It may seem to the world that Sarah was too old and Mary was too young to mother a child, but God used both their lowly state to demonstrate that nothing is impossible with Him. And our world became so much better because of their humble obedience and submission to the purposes of God.
May this be our story, too.
“Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever. He knows all, does all: He changes the seasons and guides history, He raises up kings and also brings them down, he provides both intelligence and discernment, He opens up the depths, tells secrets, sees in the dark—light spills out of him! God of all my ancestors, all thanks! all praise! You made me wise and strong. And now you’ve shown us what we asked for.” (Daniel 2:22 The Message Bible)
Do you desire to have a personal relationship with God? Please click this link to have your questions answered. You may also leave me a note at jennifer_caspe@yahoo.com
This article appeared in the 700 Club Asia’s Family Section in September 2012. Click here to view the original article.