A sweet mom of one of the kiddos in my class gave me the sweetest gift the other day. She gave me her book "Prayers for Expectant Mothers", a letter, and an
excerpt from the book
A Mother's Heart. I wanted to share the part of the book she have me because I really think it's true and gives such hope to women waiting to be blessed with a baby.
Waiting On God-For Children
Before I was pregnant with Matthew, I studied the lives of biblical women who had waited for a child. These women were Sarah, the mother of Isaac; Hannah, the mother of Samuel; Rebekah, the mother of Jacob; Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist; and Samson's mother. From my study I gained a conviction that every child comes from God and ought to live for God's purposes.
Each of these women was initially barren. they waited and waited to conceive a child. Since failure to bear a child in their culture was often considered a curse, they experienced torment and ridicule. All of them endured a painful wait. Two of them-Sarah and Elizabeth-reached old age before conceiving.
Was it really necessary for these women to experience the agony of a long wait? Yes, there was a purpose.
God had something special in mind. He wanted to give each of these mothers a special child-a child with a specific purpose-and He wanted to receive the glory. Everyone must know that God did it. The awe of wonder of conception is often lost on us, since almost anyone can conceive-rich or poor, educated or uneducated, godly or ungodly. We can easily forget the part God plays in every birth.
Unless a sense of wonder accompanies parenthood, w may either take our responsibility too lightly or else cling too tightly to our children. God knows that withholding children often produces a different mentality in a waiting mother or father-to-be.
I wonder if Abraham could have laid his son Isaac on the altar if the long wait had not prepared his hear (see Genesis 22). Would Hannah have given her beloved you Samuel to God's service if he had come much earlier? Did the wait produce a conviction that Samuel came from God and should live for God's purposes, a conviction she otherwise might not have experienced? Perhaps another reason God allowed these mothers to endure a long wait was to lay a groundwork of prayer. they knew that these children were children of purpose and promise, and undoubtedly each of them was much prayed for.
I too wanted the convictions of a mother who had waited on God, even though my wait was comparatively short. I prayed, "God, please give me the sense that these women had that this child will be from You and for You."
I really hope this encourages anyone in the waiting to continue praying for your child and know that the God of miracles has an amazing plan for you. When your gift comes, remember to give Him the glory because He is so, so worthy.
