Divine Intervention

In our lives each and every day, we have choices that we can make - we can choose to follow God's will or reject His way and make our decisions according to the world's or our own fallible wisdom. In Deuteronomy 30, we can see these words:
18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.
19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

The Bible tells us there is a way that leads to life, and not only do we have the capability to make that choice, but the Holy Spirit will direct us in our decision-making. There will even be times when the hand of God is so evident and we can experience His divine intervention.  As we celebrate the sanctity of human life during this season, we can recognize the sovereign hand of our Creator, who desires to lead us in His ways, and enable us to truly "choose life."

+++++

The Bible tells us that God's ways are higher than our own, and on occasion, He will override our plan in order that His plan may be implemented. Proverbs 19 reminds us of the sovereignty of God:
20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.
21 There are many plans in a man's heart, Nevertheless the Lord's counsel--that will stand.
22 What is desired in a man is kindness, And a poor man is better than a liar.
23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.

Sabrina had a secret - and she was determined to keep it that way.

But, she realized there was Someone who knew, and that Someone had a plan for her.

The Focus on the Family website published the story recently by a woman who, at the age of 17, discovered she was pregnant.  Interestingly enough, prior to this point, she admits that she ridiculed those who chose to abort their children.  Now, she was in the situation of having an unplanned pregnancy.

So, she made an appointment at an abortion clinic. After school one day, she walked down the street to smoke and she began to realize the implications of what she was about to do - she threw up. She writes:

I walk back to my car to head to work. My tire is flat. How could this be happening to me?!

Come to find out, someone knew my secret–God. And He had other plans in the works. As a teen, I barely made any money, so paying for an abortion and a tire simultaneously was not feasible. I couldn’t ask for money because my dad would know what I was planning, so I had no choice but to use the money set aside for an abortion to buy a new tire. Not realizing God’s intervention, I made two additional abortion appointments.

On her third appointment, she "felt the baby kick." She describes that as a "connection" with her unborn child. She relates, "That flat tire changed the course I had set for myself. That flat tire saved my daughter’s life and changed mine forever."

Unimpressed, to say the least, by her experience in requesting government assistance to raise her child, she ultimately chose another path. Sabrina writes:

I went home, and my stepmom presented me with the adoption option. It hadn’t even crossed my mind. I knew of adoption but thought it was only for parentless children in other countries. Besides, I wanted to keep my baby. After all, she kicked to let me know she was there right when I needed to feel her. I felt incredibly connected to her, her heartbeat, her soul. How could I give her up?

Recognizing the practicalities of her situation, she made the decision to put her daughter up for adoption. She says:

...I knew she would be cared for, and it was the right decision – I was in no position to raise a child. I am so glad I made that decision. Now, 24 years later, I get to see even more of God’s plan and why He saved her after reconnecting. She was given a beautiful life that I wouldn’t have been able to give her. She was raised in a wonderful home, and she is so full of life. My daughter Isabella and I now have a relationship that I thank God for every day.

She encourages readers who may be thinking about abortion to "talk to someone." She notes: "If God gave His Son – without hesitation – to save mankind, think about what He could do for you, His son or daughter. Abortion is not the only choice. I can assure you there are more alternatives and support than ever before."  

Focus on the Family, which published the article, is devoted to helping bring adoptive children together with loving families through its Wait No More program.  Making adoption available to women in crisis has become a dynamic ministry opportunity, which brings hope to women in similar positions as Sabrina.  

Sabrina's flat tire eventually led to her rejecting her plan to terminate the life of her unborn baby.  As a teenager who had become pregnant, she no doubt felt trapped, but God provided hope; something He does regularly as He ministers through His servants to let moms in crisis know that He has a plan for them and their unborn children.

In our own lives, we can learn to recognize those "God moments" - and listen.  We can consider what God might be saying to us. Never underestimate the power of divine intervention.