The baby was born yesterday morning, after a very difficult and emotionally and physically draining labor.
I was in the delivery room, and as it was my first time to witness a birth, it was quite a new experience for me. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but even I could tell that things were going wrong.
While holding the mother's hand, hearing her oxygen mask inflate and watching the computer screen like a hawk for any signs that the baby's heart rate was improving, I heard her ask me to pray. I was instantly reminded of the Psalmist's words "You knit me together in my mother's womb, I shall praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made" and where he says that it was God who brought him forth from the womb. These words were an encouragement to us, especially since it was a risky delivery. We knew that God was the only one who could bring this child forth at all and definitely the only one who could protect her and keep her healthy. But all we could do was wait, watch and pray.
At at least one point I was completely dumbfounded that women actually go through this. But as I saw the baby enter the world and be placed in her mother's arms, as I held her close to me and kissed her forehead, I couldn't imagine anyone not wanting children.
When the nurse entered the room after they had been monitoring her vital signs, I breathed a prayer of thanksgiving as I heard her say "She's perfectly fine...the most beautiful baby in the nursery."
And yes, I cried.
The scene was amazing when, looking down at her, her father said, "Look at this...fearfully and wonderfully made."
I've always heard that birth is a miracle, but now I know it and believe it with all of my heart.
During the labor, everyone kept looking over to me and saying "How many children did you say you wanted? I bet you don't want any now!" But I'm happy to say, that through it all, it has only reinforced my desire to have many children.
God's power and providence were manifested and his glory magnified. His mercy is truly new every morning, as we discovered anew at 6:28 am yesterday.
In awe of His grace,
~Robin <><
domenica, luglio 16, 2006
giovedì, luglio 13, 2006
Traveling the High Skies Once Again...
I'm in St. Louis again, and as I was informed last night by my host that blogs were a waste of time, it reminded me that I needed to put up another post. :)
Merisha is taking Suzuki Piano Teacher Training this week, so I decided to come up and see my friends in St. Louis while she's in New Orleans for training.
The baby is due any day and they needed some help, soooo, here I am!
I have been thinking about this scripture in Isaiah lately:
'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Isaiah 41:10
What an awesome encouragement!
~Robin <><
Merisha is taking Suzuki Piano Teacher Training this week, so I decided to come up and see my friends in St. Louis while she's in New Orleans for training.
The baby is due any day and they needed some help, soooo, here I am!
I have been thinking about this scripture in Isaiah lately:
'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Isaiah 41:10
What an awesome encouragement!
~Robin <><
lunedì, luglio 03, 2006
"Put on a heart of compassion..."
In reading through the gospels a while back, I was struck anew by the compassion of Christ.
I proceeded to do a word search on compassion and was almost surprised by what I've found.
The New American Standard version yeilds 92 results to the search "compassion". Of course, not all of these refer to the compassion of God, but also to people begging compassion from God, people extending compassion to others, etc.
If you ask me, one thing that the conservative church has all but lost is compassion.
Many speakers will talk for hours about the unsaved and their impending judgement. I heard recently of a preacher who said "we always hear that we are to love the sinner and hate the sin, but God hates the sinner enough to throw him into hell!" Implying that we should only love those who are currently saved and living the life that we think they should live.
(Side note: Of course, I believe that God is not only loving and compassionate but also just and that there are eternal consequences for those who die without repenting. However, since judgement has not yet occurred, we know not who the saved are or will be. Therefore, we are given the comission to preach to every nation and share the gospel of Christ with everyone.)
All of life is a balance, and I've seen both extreemes, but there is definately an aspect of christianity that you loose when all you do is look at the sin and ignore the hurting, lost sinner.
I know one thing for sure, my life has been changed by a loving God who had compassion on me long before I ever appreciated it. That compassion was shown through his word, but also through people who had the strength to love me where I was and show me truth. They lead me through hard times, and let the Holy Spirit do the work of convicting my sin instead of judging it and pointing it out to me themselves.
The compassion of God has taken some pretty wrecked lives and made them holy, and there is not one person that is beyond the healing touch of God.
As someone who was saved as a child and has been spared may of the burdens that come from living a life apart from Christ, I can be tempted to be self-righteous. But a friend of mine has a very interesting approach to seeing people lost in their sin. Instead of automatically being welled up with pride because "I'm not as bad as that person" she would turn to her children and say "There, but for the grace of God."
Yes, that's so true. We are all there, in the place of the worst sinner, but for the grace of God. That life can be turned around with the compassion of God, often shown through His people.
Here are a few scriptures that jumped out at me as I was doing a word search on compassion, and though they're all wonderful, I especially liked the last one.
Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.
Nehemiah 9:31
Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on His afflicted.
Isaiah 49:13
"In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you" says the Lord your Redeemer.
"For the mountains may be removed, and the hills may shake, but my lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and my covenant of peace will not be shaken," says the Lord who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:8, 10
"I will sow for her Myself in the land. I wil also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I wills ay to those who were not My people, 'You are my people!' and they will say, 'You are my God!' "
Hosea 2:23
But seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36
When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:14
When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt, And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Luke 7:13-15
We count as blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.
James 5:11
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12
So there you have it, compassion for the lost souls needing Christ, and for the struggling christians alike is not only a nice thing to do, it's a command.
~Robin <><
I proceeded to do a word search on compassion and was almost surprised by what I've found.
The New American Standard version yeilds 92 results to the search "compassion". Of course, not all of these refer to the compassion of God, but also to people begging compassion from God, people extending compassion to others, etc.
If you ask me, one thing that the conservative church has all but lost is compassion.
Many speakers will talk for hours about the unsaved and their impending judgement. I heard recently of a preacher who said "we always hear that we are to love the sinner and hate the sin, but God hates the sinner enough to throw him into hell!" Implying that we should only love those who are currently saved and living the life that we think they should live.
(Side note: Of course, I believe that God is not only loving and compassionate but also just and that there are eternal consequences for those who die without repenting. However, since judgement has not yet occurred, we know not who the saved are or will be. Therefore, we are given the comission to preach to every nation and share the gospel of Christ with everyone.)
All of life is a balance, and I've seen both extreemes, but there is definately an aspect of christianity that you loose when all you do is look at the sin and ignore the hurting, lost sinner.
I know one thing for sure, my life has been changed by a loving God who had compassion on me long before I ever appreciated it. That compassion was shown through his word, but also through people who had the strength to love me where I was and show me truth. They lead me through hard times, and let the Holy Spirit do the work of convicting my sin instead of judging it and pointing it out to me themselves.
The compassion of God has taken some pretty wrecked lives and made them holy, and there is not one person that is beyond the healing touch of God.
As someone who was saved as a child and has been spared may of the burdens that come from living a life apart from Christ, I can be tempted to be self-righteous. But a friend of mine has a very interesting approach to seeing people lost in their sin. Instead of automatically being welled up with pride because "I'm not as bad as that person" she would turn to her children and say "There, but for the grace of God."
Yes, that's so true. We are all there, in the place of the worst sinner, but for the grace of God. That life can be turned around with the compassion of God, often shown through His people.
Here are a few scriptures that jumped out at me as I was doing a word search on compassion, and though they're all wonderful, I especially liked the last one.
Nevertheless, in Your great compassion You did not make an end of them or forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.
Nehemiah 9:31
Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on His afflicted.
Isaiah 49:13
"In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you" says the Lord your Redeemer.
"For the mountains may be removed, and the hills may shake, but my lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and my covenant of peace will not be shaken," says the Lord who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:8, 10
"I will sow for her Myself in the land. I wil also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I wills ay to those who were not My people, 'You are my people!' and they will say, 'You are my God!' "
Hosea 2:23
But seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36
When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.
Matthew 14:14
When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt, And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Luke 7:13-15
We count as blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.
James 5:11
So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Colossians 3:12
So there you have it, compassion for the lost souls needing Christ, and for the struggling christians alike is not only a nice thing to do, it's a command.
~Robin <><
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