Only a mother can know the pain that comes with childbearing. The agonizing discomfort and the joy-filled exhilaration rarely compare to anything else she might experience in this life. For some women, childbearing seemingly occurs without complication or extreme discomfort. But for most, childbearing is the most painful process they personally experience followed quickly by the most joyous moment in their life. Shortly after the birth of our first son, Doug II, my thoughts raced to the idea of having another baby. Why? Because I had just experienced for the first time (ever) the greatest moment of my life; giving new life to another human being. Even though the previous twelve hours of labor had been the most excruciating hours of my life, the joy of holding someone that I had helped to create left me speechless. The mere thought that I had been the only human being in the universe to bring forth this new life filled my heart with undeniable joy and love, making it easy (for me) to want to experience that moment again.
“Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8 (NIV)
When a “believer” in Christ is “born again” they become filled with the greatest gift God has to offer; Himself. At that moment in time when we accept God’s greatest sacrifice – Jesus Christ – not only do we experience the presence of God into our lives in a profound way, God experiences the “giving birth” process as well, just in a different way. Because I am a mother, I can only imagine the joy-filled moment God must experience when we accept the new life He has to offer us. God, who watches over us from the moment we’re in our mother’s womb to the moment we accept Him as our Savior, experiences the same emotions as a new mother; complete joy and exhilaration. No wonder God wants so badly for us to accept His gift, Jesus, so that He can fill our lives with the only gift He has to offer: His love. The joy God must feel when He gives us a new life through re-birth in Christ must (somehow) compare to that of a mother giving birth to a child; complete immeasurable joy.
Thought to live by: At the heart of God is a mother’s love for us.
“Who’s you daddy; knowing God as Abba Father” is a devotional written by Pat Ferguson. Copyright © 2011, All Rights Reserved
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