November 1994
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As most of you are aware, during the first week of
October, God chose to take our unborn child home.
Karen went into the hospital, and our baby was born
at 7:25 a.m. on October 6th. Friday, October 7th, we
had a brief committal service at Lakeside Cemetery, and buried the child. There are, of course, numerous thoughts that cross a parent's mind at this time. I would like to share some of them with
you.
First and foremost, it is imperative that I mention the goodness and graciousness of God. He has given to both Karen and I a peace and comfort which can only be attributed to Him. We know that the Judge of all the earth does right, and that this was the best for both us and our child. We thank Him particularly for the promise of a reunion someday in glory. In the hospital we kept our baby for about an hour after he was born, during which time we were able to talk about him, and hold him. However, we know based upon the authority of Scripture that, even at his age, to be "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. " You see, our child got to go to Heaven without ever having to experience the trials of living upon earth. What a blessing this must be far him! We know that we will someday see him complete in Heaven. David spoke these great words of comfort following the death of his son: "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (II Samuel 12;23). David knew that he would see his son again. And we know that we will see our child again, because of the grace and goodness of God.
Secondly, our right to life belief was thoroughly reinforced through this event. When our child was born, he was completely formed: eyes, ears, nose, mouth, arms, legs, fingers, and toes. Though only four months along in the womb, he was completely, and totally, and obviously, a baby. Those who would deny this are either willfully ignorant, or liars. We did not hold a mass of cells in our arms, nor a fetus: we held a baby. This is why we had a funeral. Just because our child died five months before birth does not make him any less human than had he
died five months after birth. In fact, we are thankful that God allowed us to have the funeral, for it places before our eyes, and the eyes of others, the fact that the Montgomery family has not three children, but four. In the days to come, we will be receiving conformation as to the sex of the child (chromosome testing was necessary), and then our baby will have a name. This, too, will help to show the reality of life in the womb, and our knowledge that we now have someone new waiting for us in Heaven .
In conclusion, please let me thank you for the cards, flowers, and food that were sent to us. It is nice to know that people care. God is teaching us, and making us to be conformed to the image of His Son. Please continue to pray for us, and may we all rejoice in the manifold love of God, knowing that He always does what is best.
Your Pastor
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