Thanksgiving - Part 2

           As we approach Thanksgiving, and as we continue to think about the many things for which we’re thankful, we come to the topic of children.  It’s often said that children are a blessing.  And, Biblically speaking, this is absolutely true.

            In Psalm 127, starting in verse 3, we read: “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth.  Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

            We also see in Scripture that, when God blessed his people, he did so with children.  God’s promise to Abraham included the promise of numerous descendants.  And his promise to Israel continued this theme.

            In Deuteronomy 28, God shared with Israel the blessings they would enjoy if they were faithful to him.  Among these blessings was that God would make them prosper in the fruit of their womb.  If they were faithless, he promised his curse.  And one of these curses was upon the fruit of their womb.

            When we go back to Bible times, we see that the people believed this.  It was an honor to have children.  A large family was considered a sign of God’s blessing.  However, being unable to bear children was often viewed as a disgrace.

            We know that some people, for various reasons, are unable to conceive.  And this certainly doesn’t imply that they’re outside of God’s blessing.  He can bless us in many ways.  However, their understanding of children is much more consistent with Scripture than our own.

            We seem to believe that you can have too much of a good thing.  We believe that children are a blessing, but we don’t want God to bless us too much.  We view too many children as a hindrance to our financial well-being, to our recreation, and to our sanity.

            However, recognizing what God’s Word says to us about children, let’s thank God for the great blessing he’s given us.  Let us recognize that our children (and our grandchildren) are a gift from his hand.  The Lord has graciously provided my wife and I with six children.   And, even though it can be challenging at times, each one of them is truly a gift from God.