Here is the devotion that I shared at my friends shower last week. I thought I would post it in hopes to encourage you...
I am so excited for you as you approach this great unknown….. Parenthood.
I vaguely remember what it was like before kids (6 year ago!)
~ The time of long uninterrupted showers
~When my body was my own not a dairy
~ When my clothes were used for the sole purpose they were designed for rather than a handy tissue
~ When poop was extremely gross and the smell would make me gag ( I would never think it would be second nature for me to willingly stick my nose up to a poopy diaper and take a whiff ),
~A clean house meant a clean house ,not laundry that has been cleaned but sitting in the basket for who knows how long, a pile of clean dishes on the counter, spot cleaning the floor with baby wipes whenever the baby spits up or has a poop explosion.
~ When I could shut the door to the bathroom and not hear WW3 happening outside
~ When a phone conversation could last for more than 2 minutes
~ When I could just pick up and go whenever , wherever instead of having to time everything around the next feeding and having to pack a diaper bag, stroller, purse, change of clothes for me and baby, and a car seat… oh and am I forgetting something.. oh yeah a baby … I wondered why the car seat was so light! I must be forgetting because I had only slept 2 hrs in the last 24hrs!!!!....
~ Yeah I remember when sleeping for less than 8 hrs was a crime now after 3 uninterrupted hrs I can feel like a new women! Oh the joys of motherhood.
God Says, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.” Ps. 127:3-5
Heritage- Hebrew is nachalah, (nakh-al-aw) to inherit, inheritance, possession. So children are an inheritance from the Lord. Gen 33:4-5 Begins when Jacob returns to Esau after running away years earlier because he stole his brother’s inheritance it says “But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him. And they wept. And he lifted his eyes and saw the women and children, and said, “Who are these with you.” So he said, “The children whom God has graciously given to your servant.” See Jacob saw children as one of the gifts God gives us. A gift in Eph 2 :8 “ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift from God.” Our salvation is gift given to us by God through Christ for us ill-deserving sinners.
Our children are our reward, our heritage, a gift from God, something that will be good for us.
Matthew Henry says of gifts given from God “Those that cheerfully use what God has given them thereby honor the giver, answer the intention of the gift.
How then can we use the gift of our children which are given to us by God to His honor and glory?
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1. 1. We can make our home our mission field. He can use us as women who originally were the ones who lead the race to sin; but by God’s grace and work through us He can change the pattern by raising godly children who will repent, trust Jesus and reflect the gospel to the world. Mat 28:19 says "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” We share the gospel by the way we live and what we say each and every day. Deut 6:7 "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Because it is the Lord who will change your children’s heart. Ps 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house they labor in vain who build it.” So speak the word to them! You are with your children 24/7 seeing the good, the bad and the ugly and each time can be a teachable moment used to speak the truth to their hearts. JC Ryle “This is the thought that should be uppermost on your mind in all you do for your children. I every step you take about them, in every plan and scheme and arrangement that concerns them, do not leave out that mighty question. “How will this affect their souls?”,,, the chief end of (their lives) is the salvation of (their)souls.”
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2. Our children can bring glory to God not only in this generation but in many generations to come. Throw a pebble into a smooth pond and you will see a ripple that will multiply and grow. Ps 61:5 “For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.” We are effecting the next generation for the glory of God! “These motherly hands are molding characters which will become men and women who will turn the world upside down either for good or for evil. Now that is a job that counts!” Womanly dominion by Mark Chanski . We read in Psalms 127:4 “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. “ God has let us hold our arrows for a short time and then they will be released toward the bulls eye which is the glory of God and service to Him! This is why we do what we do to raise children to be used by Him!
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3. God uses the gift of our children in our lives to help us to see what real faith looks like. Seeing child like faith displayed before us how they don’t doubt or worry but simply trust. Mark 10:13-16 “Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
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4. The gift of our children helps us to see our loving heavenly Father. As you hold your precious new little bundle of joy you will behold God’s creation displayed in the intricate formation of your child. Ps 139:13,14 “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Your son was created in the image of God. Gen 1:26, 31 “Then God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness… Then God saw everything that He made, and indeed it was very good. “
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5. We can bring glory to God by fulfilling God’s plan and purpose. In the garden of Eden God had a plan and purpose for the creation of man/ woman even before sin entered the picture and we get to take part in this plan!! Gen 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; “. This is a blessing from God in the garden before sin entered the picture and we get to experience this blessing and accomplish God’s purpose.
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6. Children are a gift to us because they show us our sin and our need of Him each and every day . 1 Tim 2:15 “Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” Having kids conform us into the image of God by showing us our sin and need for forgiveness and grace. We can picture Christ by being willing to sacrificially lay down our life, our wants needs and desires for the good of our family, our children “We can resent the challenges and demands or draw from God’s grace and help to cheerfully lay down our lives for our children.” Carolyn Mahaney . Children more attention paid to what you do than what you say!
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7. Children are a gift because they cause us put our faith in action . Once you become a mommy you will experience whole new set of worries, fears, and anxieties. “How will I know how to be a mom? The hospital didn’t give us an instruction guide!” Will I survive labor and what is my pain tolerance level (they will ask you this when you go in). When he sleeps at night you worry if he is still breathing. When he is up and crying you worry that something might be wrong! You will worry when he is sick, you will worry what to do for his education... the list can go on and on. This is where trust in our sovereign God is put to the test. Don’t worry God has given you a child, He will show you how to raise them! Mat 6:34 “"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
There will be times when your joy will seem to run out and your child won’t seem like a reward, a gift… but rather how can I say it a curse…. Yes it is true you will feel ( and don’t worry you’re not the only one!) like God has forgotten you and left you to be used up by this 6 lb 20 in demanding, loud, little creature who is taking control of your life
When these moments arise remember….
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1. 1. Pray… Pray …. Pray- and if you fall asleep while praying that’s ok. God heard you!
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2. 2. Be in the word- Before kids I was a “super” Christian, having my quite time daily .Once kids came excuses started coming as to why I wasn’t having time in the word ( to tired, screaming baby, house to clean, need to eat, I want to just sit and stare and bask in the tranquility ) however it is those times where I feel like God has abandoned me, I grow spiritually dry….. And this is because I haven’t been in communion with my Savior. So I suggest you get a book light and have your bible right next to where you nurse and you will have 30 min read your bible and pray while nursing and that is more than 8 times a day!!!! Ps16:11 “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” You will find joy in your service as you draw near to your Savior
3. 4. Our children are our reward because they will one day rise up and call us blessed. Proverbs 31:28. If we seek to obey God in the nurturing of our children by training their heart and minds. Prov. 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.”
4. 5. Memorize verses like 2 Cor. 4: 17 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,”Ps 127 We read that, ”Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth. God has let us hold our arrows for a short time and then they will be released for the glory of God . Therefore, take time to look, admire and enjoy your baby. Trust me you won’t remember the dirty dishes that stayed piled in your sink for days but you will want to remember all the little coos, squeaks and smiles!! I even got a calendar that I hang right in my kitchen that I can write on whenever my kids say or do something I will want to remember either for blackmail when they are teenagers or a giggle for me :) Your baby will eventually sleep, stop crying and grow up. This happens all too fast in a blink of eye your son will go from diaper and nursing to potty trained (that a whole other issue we will talk about in a year or two :) and getting you a glass of milk! Remember In
Gal 6:9 “”Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” See God says you will reap a harvest… It will be worth it!!!
5. 5. One of the biggest adjustments for me was interruptions of my plans…. I like to make to-do list and check them off. If I am not able to get my to-do’s checked off I often get discouraged. Well I am still learning that what I have planned for my day might not be what God has planned. C.S Lewis "The great thing one can do is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's "own" or "real" life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life - the life God is sending one day by day: What one calls ones "real life" is a phantom of one's own imagination." All the interruptions- they aren't interruptions after all. They are sovereign deliveries. The unpleasant things are God's perfect plan for our day. Ps. 118:24 "This is a day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it." Carolyn Mahaney A sick, crabby baby who will not sleep unless you are holding him and he wants to nurse every 10 min is God’s “sovereign delivery” for you that day!!!
The task is big, the mountain is high and the lack of sleep may seem too much… but remember your child will only be young for a very brief time, it is a season that will change and God says, “Fear not for I am with you ; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”Isaiah 41:10 God the creator of heaven and earth, who holds the whole world in His loving hand says that He is with you, He will help you have patience, love ,energy and strength for all the tasks at hand! So take heart my dear sister with God on your side you can do this thing called parenthood for the glory of Him who gave you this gift of a son :)
