Background:

Sawyer Joshua Murphy – 2013-05-10
At Egleston Children’s Hospital

“Baby Murphy,” our much-anticipated great-grandson has arrived!!  Our granddaughter, Ashlyn and her husband Josh are the parents of Sawyer Joshua Murphy.  Sawyer was born early Thursday morning, May 9, 2013 at 12:09am at the Gwinnett Medical Center.  Sawyer weighed in at eight pounds even and 21 3/4 inches long.  As diagnosed in advance by the medical team, Sawyer was born with multiple heart issues that will require multiple surgeries.  He was transferred to Egleston Children’s Hospital in Atlanta approximately twelve hours after birth where he will be closely monitored and a plan of action will be developed.  Ashlyn is recovering nicely from the C-section and is anxious to join Josh and Sawyer at Egleston.

Sawyer’s safe delivery is God’s answer to thousands of prayers offered by family, friends and prayer groups across the world who have followed this wonderful story of love through Ashlyn’s blog, The Murphy Family.  I invite you to visit Ashlyn’s site and marvel at her transparency as she shared her innermost thoughts about Baby Murphy.  I think you, too, will conclude that God is Faithful!

Scripture:

Discussion:

When God created each of us He had already determined “His will” for our lives.  God designed a specific plan for each of us based on the unique gifts and talents He bestowed upon us as individuals so we can perform our work in His way for His kingdom.  Living successfully in this world requires that the believer align his will with God’s desired will and act out His plan.  As humans we have the ability to choose.  God created us that way.  We have a choice to do things our own way or God’s determined way.  God desires the best for each of His creations and accepting His grace, His will and His way is critical to living a life that glorifies Him.

In Jeremiah 29:11-13 God assured Judah that He, and He alone, was in control.  Judah was in a state of seemingly endless captivity at the time and had lost hope and sight of God’s plan for them.  Through Jeremiah God said “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  How wonderful is that promise … a promise that God makes to each of us.  God Knows.  God Hears. God Cares.  God Provides.  God is the author and finisher of our future … the finisher of our hope.  We need not search in any other place.  God promises that if we seek Him with all of our heart, we will find Him.  Is that not an amazing promise?  A promise that we can count on.

Our God is faithful to keep ALL of His promises.  He never breaks His promises like man is so prone to do.  Deuteronomy 7:9 says that “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.”  God’s love for us is steadfast, unchanging, constant, unswerving, unwavering, fixed for a purpose.  It will never change.  God loves us at conception.  God loves us at birth.  God loves us in life.  God loves us in our passing.  God provides throughout … no matter the circumstances … no matter the obstacles.  The faithful God will see you through the darkest hours, the darkest days.

Reflection:

Yes indeed, God is Faithful!!  God is Always Faithful!!  God is all-knowing and all-powerful!!  He defends us and protects us no matter what we face.  We are weak, but He is strong.  Nothing is impossible with God.  When we do things His way we will always receive His best.

Ashlyn, Josh and Sawyer
Approximately 12 hours after birth … just before transport to Egleston Children’s Hospital

Please keep Ashlyn, Josh and especially Sawyer in your prayers.  Ashlyn and Josh are His faithful followers and trust in His promises.  Charlotte and I know that God will provide.  His will and His way for this sweet family is our prayer.

I am reminded of Paul’s words to the church at Corinth when he said: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

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Books by Jim Davenport:  Please purchase Jim’s books to help support his writing ministry.

• Christian Devotions & Quick Studies – Hardback, Paperback, eBook
• Thanksgiving Day – Religious to Secular – Paperback, eBook

Related Links and Articles:

• The Murphy Family – Ashlyn’s blog
• The Desired Will of God  – Intouch Ministries

Other Articles by Jim Davenport:

• All of Jim’s Articles
• In the Midst of Counselors
• Our Comforter
• God Will Provide
• In His Time
• God’s Solution for Anxiety
• Facing Tough Times
• Is Anything too Hard for God?
• Do Not Fear
• An Anchor in the Time of the Storm
• His Grace is Sufficient for Me
• Become A Christian

Southern Gospel Music by The Good News:

• Listen to The Good News   – over 2 hours of music are contained on this page; once you are there scroll down and click on the tune you want to hear.  Share the good news from The Good News with your friends.