By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

Rejoicing in What God has Given

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“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”
Psalm 127:3 English Standard Version

Raising children is a great endeavor, a lifetime work that doesn’t end until you die.  Raising a child tests you in every way; physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

As a parent, from the first moment in the morning when your child awakens until finally when they go to sleep, they are constantly on your mind.  “Where are they?  What are they doing?  Why are they crying?  Why are they quiet?”  Constantly you are vigilant and watching over them.

In the midst of the work and the worry it is easy to forget who children are. “Children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”  Children are a gift given to us from God to care for and to love, to lead in the way of the Lord and to rejoice over as one of God’s great gifts.

You and I are given this amazing privilege of imitating our Creator God who made us and all things in this world and still preserves them.  In a small limited way we help create these amazing human beings and care for them.

Sometimes the task of raising them seems too hard, too daunting, too impossible.  But our God has not left us alone in this mighty task.  Where we fall so very short of our own ideals as parents, the Lord steps in with His grace and forgiveness and presence.  The Lord does not leave us alone in the raising of our children, but He has come into this world in His Son and opens His hand to help us by His Holy Spirit.

When Mary was faced with the seemingly impossible task of birthing and raising our Savior, the angel assured her, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37)  And so in this great challenge of raising our children, He will do the impossible!  Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado