"the gospel in her home" (in our good and bad, the gospel prevails)

though this post could easily be titled: the gospel in the hospital room. :)

with not much free time, my post will be simple. it's in regards to my post yesterday - lucia's birth story. my friend britney, another gospel in her home poster, commented with these words.

Tiff, I just want to cry!! You are so SO right!! Man looks at the outside but Jesus is concerned with our hearts!!!!! Better a big cheese burger with a clean heart than all that "free range chicken broth" from the farmers market with a bad heart!!! Better an epidural and hospital birth with thankfulness than the coolest natural home-birth without it!! (His entire message to the Pharisees!!) Jesus knows what we need and is committed to giving us what is for our good and His glory...and I think sometimes that is an epidural!!! Praise God!!!!!!!

in our mothering (and our birthing) it is so easy to put our confidence in our good works and our great plans. our great mothering skills. our polite and well mannered child. our clean homes. our creative activities. our crafting and cooking. even our pregnancies and labor/deliveries. we can easily, without realizing, go to sleep with a heart of pride that says: "well aren't i doing well today."

there are many problems with this, the first is the obvious. we are not putting our faith in Christ and the gospel He has given us. the other problem is that when we "fail" or don't deliver as we ought our heart falls into despair. when we speak to our child in frustration, or look around at a messy room. when we waste an afternoon or feel lazy and weary. the enemy has such a place of authority, suddenly, to bring us into condemnation.

however, if our hope is in the gospel, in Christ's finished work - our goodness and good works and our wretchedness and sin do not sway us - either into pride or despair quite as easily. in all things we declare, "He is worthy!" and can rest in the cross.

check out both britney and al's post. :)