God's Special Growing Place
Wednesday, August 23, 2023
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Ps. 32:7, NIV.
I've been delivering babies for more than 20 years, and I never cease to marvel how God designed the human body to meet the needs of babies before their birth. Consider the womb or uterus, the special place in a mother's body that God has prepared to protect the baby and to allow it to grow in safety. It is truly an incredible organ!
The uterus is hollow with walls of smooth muscle. Before a woman becomes pregnant the uterus is about the size of a pear, weighing two to three ounces with walls about one-third inch (1 centimeter) thick. The space within the uterus would hold about two tablespoons (30 milliliters) of fluid. As the pregnancy progresses, God has designed that it will continue to enlarge to hold the growing baby regardless of its size. The way this happens is nothing short of amazing.
No other organ in the human body changes in size so rapidly as does the uterus. Soon after conception the smooth muscle cells in the uterine wall start to enlarge gradually. They do this by growing in all dimensions, becoming longer and wider and thicker. By the time the uterus reaches its maximum size prior to the birth process, these smooth muscle cells have enlarged to 20 times their original size. The uterus now fills almost the mother's entire abdominal cavity. The space within the uterus has increased by a hundredfold—capable of holding almost a gallon of fluid!
An even more amazing fact is that after the baby's birth the size of the uterus quickly starts to shrink. The muscle cells of the uterine wall rapidly decrease in size until within four to six weeks they are back to their former dimensions.
The power of God knows no limits in providing a growing place for the developing baby, but He also has a growing place for the developing Christian. King David called it a "hiding place." That special place is in Jesus. He meets all our needs and protects us. And it is through Him that rebirth is possible.
When you're frightened and frustrated, go to Jesus' "hiding place." You can always feel safe and secure with Christ.
I've been delivering babies for more than 20 years, and I never cease to marvel how God designed the human body to meet the needs of babies before their birth. Consider the womb or uterus, the special place in a mother's body that God has prepared to protect the baby and to allow it to grow in safety. It is truly an incredible organ!
The uterus is hollow with walls of smooth muscle. Before a woman becomes pregnant the uterus is about the size of a pear, weighing two to three ounces with walls about one-third inch (1 centimeter) thick. The space within the uterus would hold about two tablespoons (30 milliliters) of fluid. As the pregnancy progresses, God has designed that it will continue to enlarge to hold the growing baby regardless of its size. The way this happens is nothing short of amazing.
No other organ in the human body changes in size so rapidly as does the uterus. Soon after conception the smooth muscle cells in the uterine wall start to enlarge gradually. They do this by growing in all dimensions, becoming longer and wider and thicker. By the time the uterus reaches its maximum size prior to the birth process, these smooth muscle cells have enlarged to 20 times their original size. The uterus now fills almost the mother's entire abdominal cavity. The space within the uterus has increased by a hundredfold—capable of holding almost a gallon of fluid!
An even more amazing fact is that after the baby's birth the size of the uterus quickly starts to shrink. The muscle cells of the uterine wall rapidly decrease in size until within four to six weeks they are back to their former dimensions.
The power of God knows no limits in providing a growing place for the developing baby, but He also has a growing place for the developing Christian. King David called it a "hiding place." That special place is in Jesus. He meets all our needs and protects us. And it is through Him that rebirth is possible.
When you're frightened and frustrated, go to Jesus' "hiding place." You can always feel safe and secure with Christ.
Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
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