#Advent #endtimes
Wanting children and waiting to have children is a blessed and often frustrating hope. It often seems that children come to you in unexpected ways. Either before you expected to have a child or were prepared to care for that child or in some unexpected way a child arrives on the scene. So many choose to make their lives less complicated, by terminating, or even discarding that promise of life.
For my wife and I we wanted a child very much, but after seeing doctors we were told we would not have children. We attempted several adoptions but they fell through or didn't work out. Then after 21 years of married life together my wife was surprisingly, unexpectedly pregnant. Our beautiful daughter arrived nearly fourteen years ago. How much joy and love she has brought to our home.
Isa 9:2-6 "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Who is this child, this son? The promise of a coming one, who would be much more than a ordinary human son, had been sought for and on the prayers of hearts for centuries. The hope that he should come, no the desperation for his coming was becoming nearly unbearable.
Mat 1:18-25 "Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus."
The love of a couple, not expecting, not planning for a child. No not even yet having consummated a betrothal. Yet they, being lovers of God, followed the path of absolute love. They honored and loved one another, they honored and loved the child together. They marveled at the gift and did not despise or reject the unexpectedness or unlikeliness of the child coming apart from their planning or desires.
The gifts of the Absolute Love are often disquised as interruptions and difficulties. Grasp on to those gifts, He is Absolute Love.
Wanting children and waiting to have children is a blessed and often frustrating hope. It often seems that children come to you in unexpected ways. Either before you expected to have a child or were prepared to care for that child or in some unexpected way a child arrives on the scene. So many choose to make their lives less complicated, by terminating, or even discarding that promise of life.
For my wife and I we wanted a child very much, but after seeing doctors we were told we would not have children. We attempted several adoptions but they fell through or didn't work out. Then after 21 years of married life together my wife was surprisingly, unexpectedly pregnant. Our beautiful daughter arrived nearly fourteen years ago. How much joy and love she has brought to our home.
Isa 9:2-6 "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Who is this child, this son? The promise of a coming one, who would be much more than a ordinary human son, had been sought for and on the prayers of hearts for centuries. The hope that he should come, no the desperation for his coming was becoming nearly unbearable.
Mat 1:18-25 "Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus."
The love of a couple, not expecting, not planning for a child. No not even yet having consummated a betrothal. Yet they, being lovers of God, followed the path of absolute love. They honored and loved one another, they honored and loved the child together. They marveled at the gift and did not despise or reject the unexpectedness or unlikeliness of the child coming apart from their planning or desires.
The gifts of the Absolute Love are often disquised as interruptions and difficulties. Grasp on to those gifts, He is Absolute Love.
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