A Radiant Face

This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven...'

Matthew 6:9-10

Since the end of March when I found out I was pregnant with my second baby, I have spent a lot of time longing for him to come.

Though I don't have nearly as much time to dwell on the thought of this child as I did while pregnant with my first, ever since I began to really feel pregnant (especially in this third trimester), I've been inventing scenarios in my head, imagining what he will look like and how his personality will be unique and how he and his big brother will interact.

I've been writing lists of projects to complete before his birth to make the postpartum period and transition to a family of four as peaceful as possible. And I've been falling more and more in love with him, even though I haven't really seen him or touched him yet (you could make a case for ultrasound pics and the fact that he's literally surrounded by my body, but we're going to set that aside and go with - ya know what I mean).

Every day is full of thoughts of my precious unborn child and how I can best prepare for his coming. Every night is full of too many projects and not enough sleep because I want so badly to make his entrance to the world just right. And every morning is full of the little aches and pains that serve as reminders that my entire body is growing and stretching to accommodate his place in our lives.

The other day I was playing outside with my firstborn son, enjoying the crisp-but-not-too-cold Midwest fall air. I looked up when I felt a sudden warmth, and beyond the cinnamon-colored leaves of our Maple tree, I saw the late afternoon autumn sun bursting through clouds. It took my breath away, and all I could think of for a moment was the beauty of my Savior.

And then I wondered, what would it be like if I longed for Jesus' return as much as I long for my son to be born? Surely I would devote more time to studying everything I could about Him, getting to know Him more, and growing in my relationship with Him. I would prepare my home as much as I could to serve others in His name. Only the Father knows the day or the hour when Jesus will come, but if I knew, I would certainly count down the days, just like I know, as I write this, that I have 37 days until my little prince is full term.

All I talk about these days is my pregnancy and what I hope for regarding the birth and introduction of my son to our family. But if I longed for Jesus that much, I would talk incessantly about how much I love Him and can't wait to meet Him face to face.

God is gracious and knows that in our present condition we are torn between the temporal and the eternal, and there are practical things we need to think about and plan for such as caring for our families and eating and sleeping. Yet, the Lord's Prayer tells us to pray that God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven, showing us that His Kingdom has a place in the here and now. Just like us, God (in Jesus) is both physical and spiritual, and we can long for Him with all our hearts at the same time we take care of "earthly business."

May we desire His Kingdom to come and His will to be done and long to meet Him face to face with the same all-consuming passion that drives us to anticipate the arrival of a dear friend or a new baby.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

After reading the book Adorned by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth this summer with a group of wise, godly and inspiring women, I got stuck on the idea of a "sound mind" as it was explained in the study.

Adorned has an entire chapter devoted to the Greek word sophron, which essentially means "sound mind". This comes from a word in Titus 2 that is often translated "self-control", but it's so much more than that. In order to practice self-control, we must have a sound mind - or a healthy, whole, saved mind - one that is governed by the Holy Spirit instead of the whims of our emotions and circumstances.

This concept has been life-changing for me since the Lord arranged for me to lead the discussion the week this chapter came up. When I volunteered to facilitate the study, I did not look ahead to see which chapters were on the docket; I simply chose a date that worked in my schedule. As I began reading the chapters to prepare for the study, I once again stood in awe of God's grace in my life and His sense of humor.

Being of sound mind is not easy for anyone, but it has certainly never been my personal strength. I have often lamented the great struggle I've had through life to grow in self-control, or to simply feel like I have displayed this fruit of the Spirit whatsoever.

However, since becoming a mother, I've noticed how the process of sanctification is intensified. Sleepless nights filled with crying from an unsatisfied baby and instances of poor communication with well-meaning spouses are a fast track to either holiness or selfishness.

As I prepared to lead the discussion on sophron, the Lord brought to mind Romans 8, which holds my current season's life verse, one I have mulled over repeatedly as I reflect on my choices from the previous day.

"The mind governed by the flesh is death,

but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace."

Romans 8:6

I have come to know how real this is over the summer as I've begun swapping out TV shows for podcasts centered on the Gospel and Christ-glorifying music while doing housework, spending just a little more time in the Word, and choosing more often to turn first to the Lord in prayer instead of to my non-savior of a husband (wonderful as he is).

I don't always set my mind on things above, and I still have to ask the Lord and my husband (and quite a few others) for forgiveness on the regular, but I am so, so grateful for the life-giving presence of the Lord as I go throughout my day, knowing I can choose in any moment to seek first His kingdom instead of my own.

I want to be characterized by a sound mind and live at peace with God and myself under the control of the Spirit. Praise God that He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and that we have the choice to live well and whole in Him. May you grow in self-control and be whole in your spirit and sound of mind.

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Latest Posts

Translate

Search This Blog