Kerri and I woke up to the best kind of news you could wake up to: the birth of a grandchild. Our son, Josh, and his wife, Olivia welcomed Violette just before 5:00 this morning. That joyous news put Psalm 127:3 in front of me. The verse reads: Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
That verse sticks out to me for a few reasons. It was a part of the sermon Kerri’s dad preached at our wedding. My boss at the time told me that my father-in-law wanted to have grandchildren! But more than that, it underlines how much God values life. Children are a gift. Culturally, we may think of that heading into a weekend like Mother’s Day, but too often it seems like we fail to grasp that. In a fallen world that promotes values from a self-centered foundation, we can easily accept things that are not true and honoring to God. God’s Word offers us the truth that can set us free. The truth helps us value what is truly valuable, like the gift of life expressed in the birth of another child.
How does this apply to all of us? How does pondering this verse impact each of us? Kerri and I are in the season of having grandchildren, so we get to see Psalm 127:3 firsthand, but that is not true for all of us. But here are some ways we can all apply this verse. Valuing life and children as God does should move us to pray for families and our NextGen ministries. It might also move us to ask God if we should serve in our NextGen ministries. It should move us to pray for the ministry of Her Health as they come alongside women with unplanned pregnancies. It should also be a catalyst for praying for CEF and YFC as they seek to bring the Gospel to children and students in our community. It should be a prayer spark as we think about the children that will receive the 35,000 meals we will be packing on Saturday. I think this verse might also help us care for folks that have lost a child or battle infertility. Children are a heritage from the Lord, but the impact of the fall of humanity into sin hurts even that. Please join me today in pondering Psalm 127:3 and ask the Holy Spirit to drive it deep into our souls.