This morning's sermon was on John the Baptist and his parents. I never realized a few things about him. One thing thought that really stuck out to me was how long they probably prayed for a child, she was past child bearing years, so maybe they thought it would never happen. It says they followed all the laws too. I wonder if I would have called them legalistic today? Then I thought of how they wanted a son so badly, probably to carry on the family name and wondered what they thought when they had one. This child was of the priestly line, filled with the Holy spirit since he was inside and yet dressed in animal skins, ate unsightly food and lived in the desert away from everyone most of his life it sounds like. Then he was very unpopular with the head government and they still didn't have a child to carry on his name or line, because he got his head chopped off. I was thinking that I was his mom, I would have been a bit disapointed! I mean, maybe she wanted grandchildren! Then my thoughts went on (I was in a Russian service and for some reason couldn't follow a thing so had my own little bible study) she was probably in a heaven and you know, she was probably rejoicing…. all of a sudden I saw a different perspective on all my thoughts. Life here on earth is short! The goal really is heaven, not grandchildren (although they are wonderful blessings!) not schooling (although it is needed) and not many of these other things that are so important to us. Sometimes in this life we may not look too successful, I may not have a college degree, but I am serving the Lord in being a mom right now! I can't fulfill my goals of traveling right now, or being a EMT, but I am going to not let that make me bitter! I want it to make a better person of me as I serve others as a mom and wife, in spite of it being different than the plans I had in the past.
You know, maybe someday those things will happen! But maybe my goals will change, and it will not be sad or depressing like I think. I think of the book “A lantern in her hand” and would get so sad for her. (All her life she wanted to paint and sing and ended up raising children, and got ugly and couldn't sing anymore and died while her meat burned on the stove and children played outside) I don't want to be like that! But if I can change my goals so I am content then I can see how God answers our prayers late, but in His time, and He gives us pearls in the trials!
Anyhow, it is late and none of this may make any sense, but…..thought I would try to write it down!
Good night!
