“The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”— Proverbs 10:22 (KJV).

It might sound strange but the above scripture recently got me through the near death of my infant son Samuel.

Samuel stopped breathing on his own on April 1.  For two weeks my wife stayed at his bedside in the hospital waiting for the all clear sign to bring him home.  I got so sick myself during this time that I could only spend 9 or 10 days by his side.

This Scripture from Proverbs kept going through my head throughout the course of this ordeal.  I found myself reminding God of His word.  I said to him, “I am a child of God and your word says that the blessings of Abraham are my inheritance in Christ Jesus.”

I continued by saying, “I don’t believe the death of my child is a blessing and therefore God, I implore you to spare his life.”

“The Blessing of the Lord, it makes rich and he adds no sorrow to it.” 

I have six children and truly there are no greater riches that I could imagine for my life than these six souls created by the Master.  They are my treasures and my joy.

My father and mother lost a child at birth, as I am certain that some of you reading perhaps did.  My first wife experienced a miscarriage and this was a very difficult  experience for us.

My father recounted the experience of losing his son to me as I spoke to him during this crisis.  I said, “I have thought of what you must have gone through many times during this ordeal.”

He was sort of surprised that I had.  He told me his story of holding his infant son in his arms and giving him a name to only have him die hours later.

I don’t even want to consider such an experience for my own life.  I call out to God and remind Him of His word, “Lord, your blessing, it makes me rich and adds no sorrow to it.”

The sorrow of losing a child is not something I want to experience.  In fact as the miracle that really occurred with my son unfolds before me such gratitude rises in my heart toward my Creator God.  This boy could have died very easily, but I believe because of the blessing of God on our lives the Lord spared him.

The perfect conditions arose so that an awareness of what was occurring came upon my wife.  She rushed him to the hospital where the doctors were given wisdom on how to treat him.  Although it did not feel like a blessing at the time, I now realize that God is able to spare suffering and remain true to His word even in the face of tremendous odds against us.

The devil roams the earth seeking whom he may devour, but Christ stands in the heavenlies interceding on our behalf to the Father.

And as our Messiah’s prayers are heard and as we stand upon His word, it becomes the solid rock and foundation of a faith that carries us through every trial and tribulation that could come into our lives.

Praise God!