Cathy's Corner

Cathy’s Corner

 

Today we celebrate the most important time for us as Christians. We celebrate the resurrection of our Savior and the Son of God, Jesus Christ. While the Cross Service on Friday evening reminded us of all that Jesus was willing to go through for us, today brings the celebration of a new life that we can have in Him. As I ponder all that means and thank Him for what He has done for me, I can’t help but think about the new life that was born into our family last week.  Jackson Scott Osterhoudt was born Thursday the 25^th at 5:02 pm. He weighed 8lbs 12ounces and of course is a beautiful baby.

 

But as I think about Jackson and how he is just barely a week old, I marvel at the miracle of his birth. Every baby is a miracle from God. Just to stop and think about conception and all the intricate details of a baby being formed in his mother’s womb makes you know that it is a miracle from God. Psalm 139:13 says “for you have formed my inward parts.” Think of all those inward parts, the tiny heart that begins beating instantly, the lungs that one day will take that first breath of air and function outside the womb, and the many other organs that are so vital to our day-to-day living. Verse 13 goes on to say “you have covered me in my mother’s womb.” I think of Jackson all tucked away nice and neat in his mother’s womb and how God was covering him and keeping him safe until he was ready to come into the world. Verse 15says “my frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.” Jackson has a beautiful little body, perfect shaped head, all ten fingers and toes. God skillfully put him together.

 

Jackson has his whole life ahead of him and he will bring his parents and family great joy. Psalm 139:16 says.”… and in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” God already knows exactly what Jackson’s life will be like, He knows the plans He has for Jackson, He knows what Jackson’s personality will be like, what his bent will be and He has a purpose for Jackson’s life. Just as we celebrate Jackson’s new life (every day will be something new and fresh for him and the pages of his life are waiting to be written), as Christians we have the opportunity to start fresh every day as well. We have the opportunity to celebrate our new life we have in Christ and ask God to help us live each day for Him and for His purposes. God knows what will be written on the pages of our lives. If we choose to live for Him, then He can fulfill the purpose He has for our lives.

 

It is easy for me to see the miracle of a new baby especially when those new babies are my grandchildren and believe that God formed and fashioned them and He has a plan for their lives. Every week we have the opportunity to be used by God (one of our many purposes He has for us) to impact the lives of babies and children just like Jackson. I see parents bring their new babies for the first time to church and hand that baby over to a teacher like Stacie Edmiston and watch the way she reassures them that she will take the best possible care of their baby. I know that we are creating trust in that baby and those parents. I watch as Nancy Jackson sits on the floor of her class with a book telling those children about Jesus and know that we are planting seeds. I watch as Steve and Tracy Hall put their heart and soul into planning and acting out the many stories in the Bible and I know we are impacting the lives of those children and the world we are going to send them out to. When I sit in my office and counsel with a child that has come up through our preschool and listen to them tell me what they have learned and how they know that they need to be forgiven and want to ask Jesus to come into their heart, I know what we do makes a difference.

 

So, today as we celebrate Easter and what Jesus did for us, we celebrate too the miracle of birth and the unwritten pages of children’s lives that we have the opportunity and privilege to influence. Thank you from my heart for all you do, for being willing to serve Jesus by teaching children like Jackson that they can one day have a new life in Jesus.

 

Have a great day in the Lord!