Modern Christian - A Cub Of The Lion Of Judah

The Labour of Creation

My last post was focused on being born again, but what is birth ? What is labour? Why do those in this world suffer? And why is pain and pregnancy so inexplicably linked?

Naturally, before a birth, the mother goes through labour. This is usually a period of around 40 weeks.

Interestingly enough, the symbolism of 40 in the Bible generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial and then, finally, triumph, and connected to the fulfillment of God's promises,

-God flooded the earth 40 days and nights.

-God gave Ninevah 40 days to repent.

-Moses spent 40 days on top of Mount Sinai before coming down with the two tablets.

-The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years before being delivered into a place they could finally call home.

-In addition, Moses also sent spies, for forty days, to investigate the land God promised the Israelites as an inheritance.

-Goliath Mocked and Taunted Israel for 40 Days before David defeated him.

-Joash reigned 40 years in Jerusalem

-The holy place of the temple was 40 cubits long.

-When Israel did evil; God gave them to an enemy for 40 years.

-The three great and well-known Hebrew kings, Saul, David and Solomon, each ruled for 40 years.

-Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness and overcoming temptations by His adversary.

-Jesus remained on earth 40 days after the resurrection.

So there is a big link between the number 40, suffering and deliverance. A big link between Labour and birth.

And water is a sign of what is to come, before Jonah finally accepted his calling from God he was in the belly of a whale for 3 days. During the flood which purged the evil from the land Noah was delivered in an ark. Before the Israelites escaped Egypt during the Exodus they needed to cross the red sea. When we get baptised in water it signifies deliverance. Just before a baby is due the waters of the womb break.
Jesus came to stir the water.

Water is and has always been a signal of God's covenant of deliverance and life and love.

Now, I dont think I am wrong to say that pregnancy is horrible (apparently ;) ) - but apparently every part of suffering pain and sacrifice you took part in and endured is nothing compared to the glory and love you felt when seeing that child born (also, apparently)

As always i never like to speak on the behalf of others if it isn't something that I have any experience with, so I reached out to my mum, who once again blessed me with a story of her own experiences..

"Ohhh lovely post yes I'll share my experience. So basically me and your dad found out we were expecting two of you at 13 weeks into our pregnancy, our pregnancy suddenly became high risk, we had a higher risk of miscarriage, premature birth, twin to twin transfusion or even losing one of both of you. With it being our first I didnt really think about losing you, I always thought I had lost my brother and sister and been blessed with two babies, like a gift from them. As the pregnancy progressed I developed health worries and was admitted to hospital for just over a week, this was at 27/28 weeks, my blood pressure increased, I had swelling in my feet and protein in my urine, concerns where I may be developing pre eclampsia a big risk for you babies and me. My midwife told me I had to slow down, I was told to rest, they gave me steroids to help develop your lungs in case you arrived earlier than expected and diagnosed an irritable uterus as I had such a lot of contractions, I was put on blood pressure tablets with daily visits from the midwife. By now I was coming up for 30 weeks, i was exhausted, the size of a house but trying to keep you both safely inside. At 32 weeks I was admitted to hospital again with similar symptoms as last time. I was again given steroids and on the 31st August due to go home. That night I commented on my back hurting a lot and one of the other ladys on the ward said you wont be going home tomorrow, convinced I would I bet her 10p 😂 I was skint. Throughout the night my back continued to hurt along with a few cramps. 6.30am on 31st August I had just got back in bed after a nice bath to ease my pains when my.waters broke, ok I wasnt going home that day and by 6.45am i was on the labour ward being monitored. Your dad was called, he came in crying, we were told there was high risk to your being born so early but they decided i would have a caesarean that afternoon. We both cried we were so afraid we would lose you both, my mum came down to sit with us all day. Around 2.30pm I was in theatre, you arrived crying, a little tiny fragile cry at 2.45pm followed by christopher at 2.46pm, he wasnt breathing and was rushed out of the room to be resuscitated, I got a brief look at you and then you were both taken away to the special care baby unit. Your dad sat with you both in the high dependency room, Christopher's alarms sounded on and off all night, your dad was so scared he thought he would lose you both. Christopher struggled to cope and was taken to intensive care to be ventilated. Initially I was so drugged up on morphine I didnt know what to feel, couldnt keep my eyes open, it was almost 24 hours before I was taken to meet you, I wasnt able to see Christopher at that point as they were working on him. I was able to hold you, it literally felt like there was no weight to you at all, I sat holding you while i was in my wheelchair but the morphine had such an impact I could barely keep my eyes open and they had to put you back in your incubator and take me back to the ward. People came to visit but we weren't allowed to take them to see you in scbu, so it felt odd, I was moved to a ward with other mums and babies but my babies weren't there. As soon as I was able I was off to spend as much time as possible with you. I stayed in hospital quite a while so I could be with you both but then I still had to leave before you both could. It was hard leaving my babies at the hospital but we came up every single day to see you. It was one of the most emotional roller coasters I have ever been on, my two babies so poorly in hospital but each day you got stronger and at 3 weeks old you weighing 4lb 12oz or there abouts and christopher weighing around 4lb 2oz we were able to bring you both home. You were so small, it was terrifying, suddenly I was responsible for two tiny prem babies and at 19 it was scary but we did it, I know there are things I didnt do so good and if I could change them I would but I tried my best and I love you both so so much more than you will ever know x"