By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Romans 8:22)
Pain. It’s something we’ve all experienced and have, at least to some extent, Adam and Eve to thank for it.
“To the woman [God] said, “I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children.” (Genesis 3:16)
This miserable judgement came on the heels of the couple’s defiance over God’s one and only command. “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:17)
I like to think that I would have taken God’s warning more seriously than my human counterparts in the Garden of Eden. But if I’m being completely honest with myself, I would’ve been just as insubordinate.
Put me on a diet and I start craving foods that I hadn’t thought about in months. Tell me I can’t accomplish a task and I’ll spend every last effort proving you wrong.
It is part of our deeply entrenched sin nature to challenge authority and go our own way. We shake our fist at religious and societal norms because we don’t like others telling us what to do. But guess what? More often than not, our mutiny ushers us into a season of pain.
We live in unprecedented times. Pain and suffering are everywhere. Using the analogy of childbirth, God forewarns us that our misery will only increase as “end times” draw near.
“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:3-8)
I remember when we welcomed our firstborn into the world. Eight days after the original due date, I began to experience intense contractions, but my labor was not progressing like it was supposed to. (It seems that even in the womb our daughter, Heather, challenged the constructs of norm.) The contractions were supposed come more frequently with time, and when they got down to five minutes apart, I was supposed to head to the hospital.
After three agonizing days laboring at home with no consistency to my contractions (they varied anywhere from sixty minutes apart to two), I began wonder if I would ever give birth.
My doctor assured me that I was in false labor, but my impromptu visit to his office the following morning proved otherwise. He confirmed that I was in full-on labor and immediately directed us over to the hospital.
Friends, regardless of whether or not you believe we have entered into the” last days” as described in the book of Matthew, we can at least agree upon this… we are closer today than we were yesterday.
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Like the intensified pains of childbirth, our increasing discomfort in this world is a constant reminder that life anew is just around the corner.
May we be ever ready!
“For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:24-25)
