I was present for a birth the other day, and I have to say that besides the baby herself, it was the face of the mother and the father when they saw their tiny daughter for the first time that was one of the most beautiful things of the birth experience. I was so honoured to be in the room when this child was born.
One of the things that God has been showing me lately is how he has given us examples of his relationship with us all around us in the world. The experience of parents seeing their child for the first time is an amazing analogy. The mother has gone through nine months of discomfort. She may have had to endure nausea, vomiting, bloating, strange cravings, emotional ups and downs, difficulties in dealing with the realities of pregnancy, let alone the unimaginable pain of childbirth. Yet, when her child is born, she feels joy. The pain has meaning, because in the end, there is a new life to nurture and love. How much pain has God gone through watching us turn again and again to our sin? I can't even count the number of times I have felt like Israel in the desert. It is so amazing that though we have caused God all this pain, he still loves us because we are his children. How fortunate we are to be called sons and daughters of God! If nothing else, we are children of a King. And not just any king, but the King of Kings! The CREATOR of the earth! Of all the things that He could be doing with eternity, He has chosen to love us and nurture us and bring us into relationship with Him. He is Yahweh! He is our provider, our peace, our comfort.
How great is our God that He would give us ways to understand His glory in the shape of earthly things. Yet, I know that what I understand here on earth is only a shadow of what will be revealed to us. It is so exciting to think of how even though it seems that I have learned so much lately, the things that I have learned are only a taste of what is waiting for me in heaven. I can't wait!!!
