“He will turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers…”
Malachi 4:6 (NASB)
I heard about the recent bankruptcy of a DNA analysis company called “23 and me.” Many questions remain about whether it is possible for their customers to have their DNA samples and private information deleted or not, now that the company is out of business.
I have a relative by marriage, who had an interesting and life changing experience through a DNA match with that company. Only relatives who purchase an analysis can potentially be linked with matched DNA relatives. Our relative was a happily married man, in his fifties, with two grown sons. He had no interest in ordering his DNA analysis, but his sister ordered hers. When her information came back, it showed that she had a very close relative, who was possibly a nephew, living in southern Illinois.
She asked her brother about it, but
he denied having any other children. Afterward, he recalled a girlfriend he had when he was in his twenties. Before breaking up, they faced a dilemma when she was found to be pregnant. Neither one of them were prepared for marriage or a child at the time, and she told him that she would “take care of it”. They never saw each other again, and that was over thirty years ago.
His sister told him about the mysterious new DNA relative. She convinced him to do his analysis, and he was surprised to learn that the young man was his son. He never knew that the girlfriend carried the baby to term and gave him up for adoption. He misunderstood her words that she will “take care of it.”
That healthy newborn baby boy was adopted and raised in a loving faith filled home, in southern Illinois. When his adoptive parents had both recently died, he became curious about his biological parents, and his DNA led to first finding his aunt, which later led to finding his birth father.
The young man was a husband and father of two young sons at the time. After the DNA analysis led him to his birth father, the father and son met for the first time a few years ago. The two families now get along great, inviting each other for visits at holidays.
The son invited his birth father to come to church with them whenever they visited. Before that reunion, his birth father rarely attended church. The son shared his personal faith with his father, who has now also developed a renewed personal relationship with Jesus. They all attend church together each time they visit each other at holidays.
Now, they share more than DNA, but a common faith in Jesus and the love of an extended family. God works in mysterious ways, proving that no life is ever conceived in error.
An unexpected pregnancy, and a baby given up for adoption might leave some people feeling guilt or shame, later in life, but as the following scripture states, God can turn shame and disgrace into blessing:
“Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace, you will rejoice in your inheritance.” (Isaiah 61:7)
The birth father truly did receive a double portion of blessing in getting to know his third son, along with the joy of seeing grandchildren he never knew he had. Both families get along so well, it was meant to be, for them to be united as one big family.
The heart of the father was turned to a newly discovered son and the heart of an orphaned son was turned to his new found birth father. Jesus worked out a beautiful plan through a DNA analysis, turning all the hearts toward Him in the end.
Lord, we thank and praise you for times of recovery, reunion and renewed relationships. You can turn the ashes of past errors into something beautiful, and all things are possible with you. Amen
