Jewells of Thought

Devotion Time

The topic today is the Temple. The angle she mentioned from a woman needing to purify herself by paying for the offering of 2 turtledoves and pigeons. Childbirth was different in many ways and simpler compared to the hospital settings nowadays. Oral history was a tradition for the Jews and the verse in Genesis 3:15 speaking was something in the mind of every Jewish woman when they found out they were pregnant. Could this be the child that would defeat Satan?

Could this be the child that would defeat Satan? This promise of a baby had been foretold for centuries. How many mothers wanted to believe they would be the one fateful mother of this one amazing child?

My Mom had troubles during both pregnancies with my brothers. The Jewish midwives during the time of Moses already knew so much about natural childbirth and what could happen. Midwifery was a calling and it was a blessing for the mothers to have one around when their time came. One brother had troubles during the childbirth procedure. The sad fact is the doctor who brought me into the world was on vacation I believe. So another doctor was on call he was inexperienced in this area and because of it Jared almost didn’t make it.

My baby brother was thought to have not been a pregnancy at all. Mom thought it was a miscarriage, but James surprised her. Childbirth is still scary as much as it is exciting for a mother. God’s ways are not our ways and eventually I had two little pills to call my brothers and now a niece. Someday God-willing I will also have at least one little one.

The Temple was also the place where Simeon and Anna talked about and met baby Christ. They were allowed this blessing to come before their last day on earth. The irony and yet beauty that Anna as a widow who never had a child was able to live long enough to see this incredible baby must have been truly an honor God gave her in her elder years.

Simeon’s words though must have put a damper on the occasion. As a mother Mary must have had a difficult time coming to terms with his message. Yet nothing was said about Joseph. Did he feel the slight at these encounters?

Until tomorrow…