I remember well the morning of February 5, 2010. The nurse practitioner came in around 6:30 and woke my wife up. She walked us through a list I will never forget. She told us that Jonah, born the day before, had a high bilirubin count and would need to remain in the NICU. She went on to say that he had an irregularity that would need minor surgery in a couple of months. Her list seemed to be escalating. His body could not keep his temperature constant. She also said there was an irregularity with his heart. There appeared to be holes in his heart, and if they didn’t close during the natural growth of the heart, surgery would be needed. And then I remember her next words well, “Heart murmurs of this nature are common in children born with Down Syndrome.” 
 
We had only seen our little boy for a moment the night before; this nurse knew him better than we did, and this was all new information for us to process. I never want to forget that moment. I never want to forget seeing my wife, with tears in her eyes, say, “When can I hold my little boy?” The nurse left the room while we looked at each other and began to process what we had just heard. My wife had just received news that could have easily been a reason to fall into despair. I remember it well because it was the treasure of my heart to have a partner whose singular response was to want to hold our precious gift and at the same time, to embrace the Giver of such a gift! We immediately were drawn into prayer, giving thanks that our son was alive, ours, and in our care.
 
We turned to Psalm 139 and it is there we were reminded of the faithfulness of God. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. You saw my unformed substance…” It was in those moments of chaos and unknowns that we were assured of the divine providence and intimate knowledge God has concerning our very being and this brand new being which he had brought into the world. Beautiful are your works, God, for Jonah is a gift who has yet to fail to reflect your divine love to us. I never want to forget it. 
 
Over the next couple of weeks, I want to consider the very practical consideration and command from God: remember. The Bible is filled with the command to remember the faithfulness of God. In the next few weeks, we will look at practical ways we can follow this command: write it down, tell others, and set a marker.

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Nathan