WEEK 8 – DAY 4

CHILDREN ARE A GIFT FROM GOD

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3

Naomi’s arms had been empty, but God filled them with her grandson, Obed (Ruth 4:17), who would be counted as her son Mahlon’s heir due to the levirate marriage of Ruth to the kinsman-redeemer, Boaz. Hannah longed for a child and God blessed her with Samuel which means “asked of God” (1 Samuel 1:20). Susan has never married and has no children, but she has been blessed with several godchildren she treats as if they were her own. Susie has never given birth, either; but in her early forties, the Lord richly blessed her with teenagers who “adopted” her as their mom. Children are truly a gift from God, no matter how He chooses to give them to us. Parents, cherish your children and pour into them the grace that God has extended to you. Childless people, find a young Christian and devote time to mentoring them as your child in the faith as Paul did with Timothy. As mature Christians, we can surely find at least one or two people who are younger in their relationship with Jesus and need a godly “bonus parent.” However, if the Lord has blessed you with biological or adopted children, praise Him and value them. Be sure they know they are a gift from God!

Father, we thank You that we are Your children and that You have blessed us with spiritual children to nurture in Your word. We thank You, also, for the bonus moms and dads who have loved us into a deeper relationship with Jesus.