ValleyofVision
Puritan Board Freshman
Or do you plan at all? My wife and I have a daughter (2 years old) and definitely want more children. Did you have an idea of how many you wanted (Lord Willing) or none at all?
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We wanted 8-10, and in his wise providence, God has given us 2.
His ways are higher than our ways.
We're seeking to raise them in the Lord as faithfully as redeemed sinners can!
Alan alludes to our situation when he references the role of doctors - we had been told we couldn't have any children for medical reasons.
Here is an off topic conversation that sparked attention (Ryan your comment guided this)... will we meet again? Will I see my wife again and recognize her? Will I see friends who have passed on (that I haven't spoken to in years) and will we remember each other? Will I see my daughter and will she still know me as "daddy"?
One of the reasons I can more willingly leave this world and desire to be in heaven is because I'm looking forward to being with and uniting with the one we lost, as Joyful is so dear to our hearts.
will we meet again? Will I see my wife again and recognize her? Will I see friends who have passed on (that I haven't spoken to in years) and will we remember each other? Will I see my daughter and will she still know me as "daddy"?
In my teenage years I was a member of an Evangelical Free church. There was a couple there (coincidentally the man was from the Philippines while the wife was a blonde, blue-eyed American) that had five boys before they decided to both undergo procedures in order to not be able to have any more children- lo and behold, some time later they found out she was pregnant, in spite of his vasectomy and her tubal ligation, with a girl.
It really is up to the Lord.
I like the way the Canons of Dort put it...
Canons of Dort, Chapter 1, Article 17 ("The Salvation of the Infants of Believers"), affirms: Since we must make judgments about God's will from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy.
Or do you plan at all? My wife and I have a daughter (2 years old) and definitely want more children. Did you have an idea of how many you wanted (Lord Willing) or none at all?
This is a lazy post. It is a duplicate of a post from last February. Sorry for the lack of creativity.
Psalms 127:3ff (KJV)
3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.
1. Children are a blessing from the Lord - a Reward from God.
2. Lots of children are great. The more the better.
3. Children are to be directed by their parents. They are never considered a burden - rather they are a defense for their parents.
Notes:
a. No one in the Bible, not even among the wicked, is condemned, or considered irresponsible for having too many children.
b. The Bible everywhere promotes having children, lots of them, as a blessing from the Lord.
c. In the Bible, children are never considered a burden to their parents. Rather, children increase the net wealth of a family. The more children you have, the greater your family wealth. Just as the increase of your animals increases your wealth, so also do children. (Deuteronomy 7:13)
IMPORTANT - The burden of proof lies with those who consider the possibility that a child could be born that is not a blessing from the Lord.
The Lord is very interested in the view you have of having children. He notices, for example, if one wife may be loved less than another and opens or closes the womb accordingly. Children are presented not as a will of man, but as the prerogative of God to open or close the womb as He sees fit.
See the whole story of Jacob’s family recorded mostly in Genesis 29 & 30. Notice how often we see that it is the Lord who opens and closes the womb as He sees fit.
Two Examples:
Genesis 30:22
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
Genesis 29:31
And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
Don't think for a moment that God doesn't take notice when we fearfully decide that a child will not be a blessing. He hates such thoughts and treats us accordingly.
What I am NOT saying:
I am not saying that we must use all means possible to have as many children as possible. I am saying that the Bible teaches that the opening and closing the womb is God's prerogative - not ours. Birth control is not so much a matter of good stewardship as it is a lack of faith. Mary and I did not use birth control measures, and we only had six children - not sixteen. Many couples will have only one or two children no matter how hard they try. More couples than you may imagine can not bear children at all.
My advice is to relax, trust God, and enjoy your marriage leaving the results to God. He can be trusted, and He IS watching.
a. No one in the Bible, not even among the wicked, is condemned, or considered irresponsible for having too many children.
b. The Bible everywhere promotes having children, lots of them, as a blessing from the Lord.