"Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD." -Psalm 128:1-4
Today, I'm 35 weeks pregnant, so this facet of my role as wife and mother is ever so dear to my heart. As excited as I am to be giving birth to a sweet baby girl, I don't ponder often enough the significance of God using my body as a vessel, a fruitful vine, to bring forth a brand new life into this world. And not only to birth into these surroundings, but a life to shape, train, nurture, and love. A life to raise in the fear and admonition of the LORD. A life that, I pray, will bring glory to God and magnify His holy name.
What a magnificent responsibility we have as mothers to freely allow God the use of our bodies and lives through pregnancy (if He has designed us to be fertile) and motherhood. And, oh, what a gift! Throughout both of my pregnancies I have been amazed at this baby inside of me being grown and sustained by the Lord, knitted together in my womb. In my life, few things have matched the indescribable joy that comes with that positive pregnancy test and the complete love that I feel for someone I've yet to meet. Each day I feel closer and closer to this beautiful life, as my bump emerges, as I hear the reassuring thump, thump of the heartbeat, as I see the reality of what is inside of me moving around like a jumping jelly bean on the ultrasound screen, as I feel those first bubbly movements, and as I feel those not-so-subtle jabs from a little one who is filling me up until I'm nearly sure there's no more room to grow. Yes, that full love grows and grows, filling me up until it matches my belly, which looks like it's about to burst. And you'd think that love would pique in those first overwhelming moments as this life, which has been knit together in secret, makes a grand appearance and is placed on my chest to nurse and coddle and love. But it just continues to grow deeper and stronger day after day after day.
It's a miracle and I am so thankful that I have a front row seat to view the Creator's handiwork! Yes, what a gift indeed, to be used by the King to bring forth life and raise a generation for His kingdom! Let us not forget that each and every life we bring into this world is a blessing, a reward, a reason to praise the LORD!
"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!" -Psalm 127:3-5a
