Psalm 127

Today's headline news: "Oil rises to US$122 on fresh supply fears" (The Straits Times, 7 May 08). The past weeks' sombre reports -- rising food and housing prices, sky-high inflation rate, staple food shortages, tight job market due to the impact of the United States going through a recession cycle, among others -- drive home a compendium of complaints from friends and colleagues. Just last week, one of my church friends was lamenting the unaffordability of raising a family, especially having children.

I read Psalm 127 with comfort and conviction that God's intention for us is that children are "a heritage from the Lord" and that they are "a reward from Him". As Christians, we should not think of raising children as a liability. We are guardians of our children and our duty is to raise godly children in accordance to His will and purposes. It is myopic to avoid such a God-given responsibility by choosing to remain childless after marriage. After all, when we have God's blessings, we will lack nothing. Parenting comes with many responsibilities and challenges along the way. We just need to have faith that God will strengthen us along the way in dealing with those unforeseen challenges ahead of us.

Let us lay claim to Psalm 127:1: "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.". And in verse 3: "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.".

Thank God for the relevation and assurance at such times of uncertainty.