Advent Day 20
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; – John 11:25 NIV
The Bible recounts the suffering of many women who were unable to bear a child. A diagnosis of infertility touched the lives of two women in our devotional titled Endurance and Redemption. In the face of limited and costly opitons, one woman pursued IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) which ended in tradgedy and devastation. Many years after her marriage ended, her embryos survived for decades until funds for their storage ran out. But this woman’s determination and endurance turned to joy when another woman with secondary infertility seized the opportunity to give those embryos a chance at life. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25) He can bring forth life from what we think is lifeless. And so a son was born to the second woman, and he was named Kian (Enduring) Immanuel (God With Us). Even in today’s “enlightened” culture infertility is often accompanied by vulnerability, fear, insecurity and pain. If you are walking this shadow-filled journey, pray that God would bring you hope, peace and joy promised during your time of waiting on Him. And if someone close to you is on this path, pray and ask God how He might use you to support them as you walk along side them.