On Wednesday, July 28, 2010, at 9:44pm my son Justin was born at a whopping and healthy 11 pounds and 12 ounces! This was a remarkable and unforgettable experience that only gets better! Throughout the entire birthing of my son the Lord personally taught and reminded me of several biblical lessons.
1. God’s Love for Me – I was closely watching and rapidly taking pictures in the operating room after my wife gave birth to Justin via C-section. When there was a brief pause in the action I leaned over and told Justin, “I love you” for the first time face to face and that is when the tears started to uncontrollably fall. It was also at that time that I was visually and vividly reminded just how much my Heavenly Father loves me! “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God…” – 1 John 3:1 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present , nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8:38-39.
2. God’s Creation – As they got baby Justin wrapped up they handed him to me to hold for the very first and I then presented him to my wife! After some smiles and tears the operation staff asked for his name. I recently started reading through Genesis for devotions and a couple of days before we came to deliver I underlined Genesis 5:1-3 which says, “In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth.” I couldn’t but think that I received the wonderful privilege to bear a son in my own image and name him!
3. Hunger for Food – Throughout our stay in the hospital, feeding baby Justin has obviously become an essential! Daily nutrition is vital for physical growth, especially for newborns! In the same manner, spiritual food is essential for spiritual growth. Watching my son yearn, crave, and long for “food” has sharply reminded me, do I hunger for God’s Word in the same way? Am I eager to get to the supply that gives me spiritual nourishment? “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” –1 Peter 2:2.
4. The Need for Regular Checkups – Many times during the day and night the hospital staff came in to do regular checkups on my wife and son. They checked blood pressure, took their temperature, listen to their heartbeat, asked questions, checked supplies, offered advice, examined vital signs, changed his diaper, and so forth. The hospital staff was very faithful and regular in performing these physical checkups to assure that everything was being assessed properly. Their dedication to the physical well-being of my family caused me to ask the question, do I diligently perform regular and daily spiritual checkups on my walk with God to assure my spiritual well-being is headed in the right direction? Convicting! How is my prayer life? My Bible reading? My witnessing? My priorities? Many Christians often neglect performing evaluations of their spiritual growth and causes them to derail. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” – 2 Corinthians 13:5.
5. Children are a Blessing from God – God’s promise that children are a blessing is true! No matter what age my child is, having children is a direct blessing from God Almighty and I always want to maintain this viewpoint! “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.” –Psalm 127:3-5.
6. Worthwhile Wait – Having children inside the boundaries of a God-ordained heterosexual (one man + one woman for one lifetime) marriage is definitely the only way to go. Staying pure is worth the wait! “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That everyone of you should know how to posses his vessel [body] in sanctification and honor.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4.
Furthermore, childbearing inside the realm of marriage is very rewarding, guilt-free, and liberating! Why? Because it’s God’s way! “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…” – Genesis 1:27-28.
I’m praising the Lord for my wife’s strong recovery and my son’s healthy delivery! What an amazing time and looking forward to biblically shepherding my family to boldly live for God! Exciting times ahead!
