Over the past few years, I've seen how the Old Testament showed things in the physical realm where the New Testament showed them in the spiritual realm.
[...] (Post redacted by Xenoglossa. See the The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
And then, in Genesis, God's command to Adam and Eve was to go forth and multiply - physical reproduction. Jesus, before He left earth, commanded to go and make disciples - spiritual reproduction.
In light of that one specifically, I started to become convinced of the importance of spiritual reproduction. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not against believers raising children, especially not when they're being raised in solid, godly homes.
What I'm saying is that I believe the significance of reproduction has moved from the physical realm to the spiritual realm in the New Testament.
The way I see it, the significance has always been on spiritual reproduction.
What expecting parent says to himself: "I hope I have an Ishmael or an Esau!" ... or a Cain, a Lamech, a Moab, or a Ammon, or any other person who's spirit is alienated from God?
When Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living, did he think to himself: "I can't wait to be the progenitor of billions of physical sinners!"
Perhaps some parent thinks: "My physical child doesn't want to love God! What a great opportunity for God to display His justice by condemning this being, who's existence is the consequence of my choice to physically reproduce, to an existence of perpetual ignorance of the being and fountain of all goodness! I can't wait to see this little sinner suffer the consequences!" But is this the way anyone who loves God, from either OT to NT times, thinks?
The way I see it, should we and our physical children fail to know, love, and obey God, He can raise up children of the promise from the very stones, and they'll cry out, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" and "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
[/rant]
One weekend recently, my youngest nephew (6) came for a sleepover. On the Friday night, he prayed for salvation with me, and it was so special to have that opportunity with him. What made it even more special was that it was Mother's Day weekend, as though God was confirming what I'd been believing about spiritual "children."
I don't know what else to say, but my heart's desire is to encourage pursuit of the things important in the spiritual realm.
In my opinion, you've been given a greater gift than the gift of merely being the physical mother of this child. Not that the physical mother doesn't share in the spiritual life of her child, but you were there, and God used you as the proximate instrument of His grace at the most crucial point of this being's existence. Your influence on this child has had everlasting consequences of the best sort. And you are free in a way that the physical mother isn't free to reproduce this effect in the lives of numerous others, and you are free to nurture this child and numerous others in a way that the mother isn't free, because she will be toiling to provide her child with goods that provide for his physical life, but don't necessarily provide for his spiritual life, while you are free of such mundane obligations.
Blessed is the barren woman, for she will stretch out her then pegs.
[//rant]
Your post set me off. If I've gone too far, please let me know.
