31 March 2010

Lessons from Riley Grace

Well, as many of you know, our little Riley Grace made her safe arrival into this world last Tuesday night (March 23). She weighed 6 lbs 6 oz and measured 19½ inches long. Mother and baby are both doing very well. All praise be to God!


Many people told us throughout the course of Lauren’s pregnancy that once our first little girl was born “life would never be the same.” I never doubted them. I just didn’t have any clue exactly what they meant.


Well, they were right. The blessing of being a parent totally changes everything. And there really is no better way to describe it than to say that “life will never be the same.” And that’s a good thing.


Just a couple quick things that have been on my mind the past week.


1. God really does answer prayer. Throughout the course of Lauren’s pregnancy and the entire 18+ hours of labor and delivery, we prayed some very specific prayers, and the Lord graciously granted some very specific answers. He didn’t have to, but He did. And we’re thankful for it.


2. I understand that we will never be able understand or explain or comprehend the “love of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Ephesians 3:19), but I believe that watching the birth of my little girl last Tuesday night maybe inched me just a little bit closer. It seems the best example God can give of His love for us is the love of a parent for his child. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him” (Psalm 103:13).


At the risk of sounding gushy, there is absolutely no way to describe the wave of love that completely overwhelmed me the moment my wife gave birth to little Riley. I mean I absolutely lost it the moment my little girl was born, and there’s just absolutely no way to describe the intensity of the love that has filled our hearts for this precious little gift from God.


If I can feel that strong and indescribable of a love for my little child as a weak, depraved, fallen human being, then “behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we might be called the sons of God…” (1 John 3:2).


If you ever come to the place where you doubt God’s love for you, either consider becoming a parent ;) or if you already are, think back to the day when your little child was born and you caught a slight, little glimpse of the amazing love God has for you.


Praise His name!


Lord willing, I’ll pick back up with regular posting in the very near future. In the meantime, please be in prayer for the 3rd annual youth rally at THE BIBLE Baptist Church on Saturday, April 17. We don’t just want to have fun or host an organized and efficient meeting, we want God to do a work in the life of some young person that will mean something in eternity.


PRESS TOWARD THE MARK!

1 comment:

  1. So true. That love for that child will only get deeper and more profound for the both of you. Oh, how many things the Lord will teach your about Himself through that little girl!

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