Seeing the Hospital Where I was Born

By John Phelan – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35823453

This time last week, I had the unique opportunity to visit the hospital where I was born in the city of Providence, Rhode Island. It was such a moving experience.

Please join me as I reflect on what I was feeling at that moment. Perhaps, there might be something that will encourage others. More importantly, I am hoping I will put the spotlight on God’s providence. (I invite you to read an article I wrote on this topic that was published on the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics blog.)

Before I get too deep into my personal thoughts and emotions in that special place, let me briefly explain why I was there and provide some background.

Why was I there?

My brother and his family have lived in New England for some time, but we had never planned a trip out to see him until this year. We spent five days doing fun things like a ride on a cog railway up a mountain in New Hampshire, a whale watching boat in Boston harbor, walks along the beach, and a tour of Cape Cod.

After time with my brother was over, we planned a day trip to connect with my roots in Providence and Warwick, Rhode Island. I wanted to visit the cemetery where my grandmother was buried, the house she lived in that I vaguely remembered from when I was six, and the hospital where my mother and I were born.

What was so special about this hospital?

According to an article in Wikipedia, Providence Lying-In Hospital was built in 1926. The article states, “The hospital was the first in the state to specialize in obstetrical services and the first to offer specialized nurse training.” It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is a beautiful structure. It now houses a rehabilitation and cancer center.

When I was planning this trip I took last Thursday, the obvious choice was to find this hospital among the other things I wanted to see in the area. I did not know what to expect, but I just had to see this place. I know now that it was well worth the time.

What was I feeling?

It took us a while to find it. The online map took us to the wrong hospital. I did another Google search to find a street address, which took us straight to it. When I saw the nearly 100-year-old building, I knew it was right. When I saw the original name of the hospital etched in stone above the entrance, I knew I had found it.

I literally walked in the building with fear and trembling. My wife sensed it too. We felt like were entering holy ground. I, and my mother, had both taken our first breaths in this building. It was surreal. I was giddy. I didn’t know what to do. I saw a sign for a chapel down the hall. I was compelled to go in and pray for a while.

As soon I sat down, I was overcome with emotion. I had no words. Tears filled my eyes. Linda prayed a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving on my behalf.

I thought about what my parents were experiencing on my birth day. At the time, my parents were in a difficult circumstance that I can only imagine. I was a surprise. My mom and dad were 20-year old college students, whose plans to earn a degree were now cut short by what must have been a blessing mixed with shame. However, it was clear to me that they faced it with courage, conviction, and love. God blessed their decision to choose life. I am so glad that I was born, that I was born again, and that God has graciously chosen to use my story for His glory.

I can identify with the words of King David in Ps. 139:13-16, as he reflected on God’s presence his own life. Here is what He wrote about the miracles God did before he was born: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

I also thought about all the medical professionals who were on duty. They were direct answers to prayer to ensure my safe delivery and take care of my mom.

Does God have a plan for you?

My answer to this question is a resounding, “Yes!” However you came into this world, you need to know that God has good plans for your life.

R. Paul Stevens, in his book, Work Matters: Lessons from Scripture discusses the concept of God’s providence in Esther’s life. He states, “Providence means that our birthplace, family background, educational opportunities, the talents and abilities we bring to the workplace, even our physical or emotional disabilities, are not accidental but part of God’s good and gracious purpose for us.” This resonates deeply with me.

I hope you know that God has a purpose for your life. You are not where you are by accident. He wants to use you, in big and small ways, to bring glory to Him. Rest in that fact, and look for daily opportunities at work, home, or wherever God has placed you to live out and share the good news of Jesus, with actions as well as words.

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 42 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of the book, Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He received a Master of Arts in biblical studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015. He is passionate about helping his brothers and sisters in Christ with ordinary jobs to understand that their work matters to God and that they can experience His presence at work every day. He has written over 200 articles on a variety of faith and work topics, 120 of which have been published or posted on several Christian organization’s websites, including the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, The Gospel Coalition, and Christian Grandfather Magazine.

A Reflection on Land, Work, and Rain

(Note: This article was published on the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics blog and the Coram Deo blog.)

Last night, I stumbled on a verse from Isaiah in a meme on social media that caught my eye. This morning, I had the opportunity to meditate on it for a bit.

In the context of stern warnings towards God’s rebellious people, Isaiah paints a picture of God’s grace and compassion. He describes national and individual restoration that would come as a direct result of their cries for help. Part of God’s blessing for His chosen ones is agricultural. The prophet declares, “He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful” (Isa. 30:23).

This verse brought to mind a verse in Genesis that also connected God’s work to human work. This illustrates the concept of Immanuel labor, which I have written about extensively. I invite you to join me as I unpack this verse in Isaiah, and then highlight its connection to the creation and to another key verse in the Psalms that ties them together.

God provides

Yahweh promised to send rain. This is the first action verb we see, but it is not the first action that is involved in this partnership between God and man. More on that later.

Although rain to us may be seen as inconvenient, disrupting our plans, getting our clothes wet, etc., rain to this agrarian society is always seen as a good thing. The rain is what allows the seed that was sown in the ground to grow and produce food. Without this rain, there are no crops, and the farmer and his family will go hungry. Their work will have been in vain. They are absolutely dependent on God to provide this rain. They cannot do it themselves.

But let’s back up. Is there anything else God provided prior to the sowing that the farmer did? 

Well, the ground that the farmer worked to plant the seed is part of the Promised Land that God provided to His covenant people. Whenever we see the word “land” in the OT, we should always jump back to the covenant that was given to Abram in Gen. 15:18-21. The land was necessary so that the multitude of followers of Yahweh that would eventually come from Abram would have a place to live and worship the God of the universe.

I wrote a simple equation from this verse: Land + Work + Rain = Food. It is another illustration of God’s grace and mercy. He provided the land so that men and women could do their part. He sealed the deal with rain to allow the crops to grow so that His people could be fed. Without God providing what was needed at the beginning and the end, the work in the middle had no chance. Man’s hard work only resulted in blessing because God provided.

God invited Adam to be His coworker

I recalled a verse from the creation narrative. Genesis 2:4-5 clearly highlights God’s original plan to use Adam and Eve as His co-workers to cultivate the garden. God would provide the rain and Adam and Eve would provide the labor.

Our God wisely designed creation in a logical sequence. As the triune Godhead initially made vegetation (see Gen. 1:11-13), “no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up” (Gen. 2:5). Why was that? Simply put, it wasn’t ready to go on day three; humans were not created until day six. We read, “for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground.”

In chapter 3 of my book, Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession, I explained this passage in this way: “This teaches us that plant life needed the rain God would send and that it also needed human workers in order to flourish. God waters, but man must work with God in the process, cultivating the ground as His coworkers.” Adam and Eve were invited by God’s grace to work with Him in His presence to help care for His creation.

It is all in vain without Him

As I meditated at these two passages, another relevant verse popped into my head. In Ps. 127:1, we read, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”

This might not be so obvious, so let me explain. This verse is often quoted to teach that unless God is behind whatever it is we are doing, we are wasting our time. This is a fairly important biblical principle to keep in mind. None of us wants our work to be in vain.

However, there is more here than most people might observe. This verse seems to highlight the connection between God’s work and human work. Humans can only do what God enables them to do. He is the ultimate source of the house that is built and He is the protector of the city. Although God does not need anything from men and women, He graciously allows them to be His coworkers to participate in the building and the guarding.

I think we can apply this principle to what we read in Isaiah and Genesis above.

Unless the Lord causes the crops to grow, the farmer labors in vain. Without the rain, and all the other things that God provides the worker, such as sunshine, proper temperatures, and keeping the locusts and the windstorms away, there will not be a harvest. Here also, God invites the farmer to actively participate in the process as His coworker.

What is the “So what?”

Sherman and Hendricks, in Your Work Matters to God ask, “Who took care of the garden of Eden? One view would say, Obviously Adam did. But the other view would say, No, God did; He merely used Adam as an instrument to meet the garden’s needs. But there is no reason why we couldn’t say they both participated in this work.” They continue, “As humans, we act as junior partners in what is ultimately God’s work. Yet participation in that work makes it our work, too. We are colaborers with God in managing His creation.”

God does not need anything, and thus, He does not need us. He allows us the privilege to work with Him in sustaining His creation. He did not just spin the top and let it go. He is intimately involved in keeping the heavens and the earth going for His glory. He invites us to work in His presence to expand creation beyond Eden.

In your job, have you seen God provide everything you need to do the work He has called you to do? Do you see yourself as God’s coworker as you meet the wide spectrum of human needs through what you do forty hours a week? Do you sense God’s presence in your work? I know I do. It makes a huge difference in how I work.

I encourage you to recognize God’s provision, protection, and presence wherever you happen to work. Keep on sowing seeds in the garden in which He has placed you. Watch Him provide the rain to bless many others around you for His glory.

About the author:

Russell E. Gehrlein (Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, Retired) is a Christian, husband of 42 years, father of three, grandfather of five, and author of the book, Immanuel Labor – God’s Presence in our Profession: A Biblical, Theological, and Practical Approach to the Doctrine of Work, published by WestBow Press in February 2018. He received a Master of Arts in biblical studies from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary in 2015. He is passionate about helping his brothers and sisters in Christ with ordinary jobs to understand that their work matters to God and that they can experience His presence at work every day. He has written over 200 articles on a variety of faith and work topics, 120 of which have been published or posted on several Christian organization’s websites, including the Institute for Faith, Work & Economics, Coram Deo, Nashville Institute for Faith + Work, Made to Flourish, The Gospel Coalition, and Christian Grandfather Magazine.