One Minute of Labor
The Birth of Baby Numbers and Seeing Sorrow Turn Into Joy.
It all happened so fast… Our daughter is here! Her name is Numbers. She was born last weekend, early Saturday morning, and came with very little warning.
From the Movies to the Hospital
Jess and I actually went out to watch Black Widow on Friday night. Jess started feeling more contractions during the middle of the movie, so we went straight to the hospital when the movie was over. They held us in triage for a bit, but as soon as we were admitted – the official medical records say that Numbers came out within one minute! It was wild.
Because Numbers came so soon, Jess was scarcely able to get situated in the labor and delivery room. Jess wanted an epidural, but the nurse was only able to get in an IV in before Numbers started coming. So Jess delivered without an epidural, with the midwife barely arriving, and I was there to witness it all!
Your Sorrow Will Turn Into Joy
It all happened so fast. I’m reminded of the miracle of birth, I remember just how strong and resilient my wife is, and I recall what Jesus said about his death and the hope that comes by means of his resurrection.
“You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.” (John 16:20-21)
Our Prize of Joy and Eternal Life with Christ
Jesus in the tomb must have felt like forever to the disciples. But it was only a short while. And so it is with our life and our suffering. It’s a fleeting breath in the span of eternity. A sigh too brief to measure. It’s a light momentary affliction. John Piper says, “When the labor pains of death give birth to life, that life is immortal.”
Our prize of joy and eternal life with Christ in glory will be worth it. Our temporal pains are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Let us fix our eyes on Christ. And when we are in Heaven, looking back on our lives – our earthly existence, suffering, and pain will seem like a vapor. It will be like one minute of labor. We will feel like it all just happened so fast.
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