But I wanted a boy...

It's no secret that some parents have preferences about the gender of their unborn child. Some long for a boy to take to the big game or, as a friend said to me recently, a girl to wear pretty dresses. Some want a child of a specific gender to balance out their family which is currently largely male - or female. Others still come from cultures where having a first born male still counts for a lot. Occasionally there are health issues at play with parents desperate for their child to avoid a genetic condition most prevalent in men. Whether it's for deeply held priorities, or something rather more superficial, some parents really do yearn for either a girl or a boy.

But how far would you go to ensure that your next child was of the gender of your choosing?

Sex-selective abortion is legal in many counties. But not in the UK. Here, it is a crime to terminate a pregnancy because the child is the "wrong" gender. However, this week, the Crown Prosecution Service has opted not to prosecute 2 doctors who did just that. Apparently, doing so is not in the public interest.

I do not claim to understand the complex decisions that the CPS have to make day by day. The responsibility of deciding who to prosecute is immense and unenviable. But the message their decision sends out is worrying to say the least... It's human nature, isn't it? If people know they can get away with doing something, they are more likely to do it. And if doctors know that they are likely to get away with sex-selective abortions, the numbers are likely to increase, in some clinics at least.

It is encouraging that some politicians have started to raise questions about this. It is right that, as Christians, we ask questions too. And, as ever, it is right that we start by asking ourselves tough questions. In this area of our lives are we trusting fully in the sovereignty of God? Do we believe and do we encourage others in our congregations to believe what is true?

• Children are a generous gift from God - whatever their gender
• It is God who knits our children together from the moment of their conception and he makes no mistakes when dolling out the Y-chromosomes
• It is God who gives the strength to repent when we want life our way instead of his
• It is God who equips us to nurture children whether they are the children of our dreams or not!

If in doubt, why not read Psalms 127 and 139 and give thanks for any baby on the way in your family or your congregation ... whatever their gender.