Ultimate Nurturing

This weekend I was able to visit one of my best friends from college who just had a baby a month ago. As I sat with my friend and her child for hours, I was reminded of the sweet depiction of Christ we see through those experiencing parenthood. You see, while my friend and I were enjoying our time, she also was keenly aware of any need the baby had, sometimes even before the baby would make it known. We were sitting and she would say, “the baby will be ready to eat soon,” or, “the baby is going to be ready for a nap in a few minutes.” Each time, she was right. And even though she knew what the baby would be needing, she waited for the baby to cry or make a noise for the need. She did not give the baby anything before it was time. This friend is new to being a mom, but is already depicting so much Christlike love and it was the neatest thing to experience and witness firsthand.

As I have been studying the names of God and their meanings lately, one specifically came to mind while spending time with my friend: El Shaddai. Literally translated, this means breast. Further translated, this means the one who nourishes, supplies, satisfies. Considering God our Father seeing us in our grief, I can not help but think of how he, El Shaddai, nourishes us as closely as a parent. In the same way my friend knew her baby’s need, but waited for the cry, I can just imagine God doing the same for us. He knows our needs before we do. He knows what our days will hold before we wake up to them. He knows us so closely and yet He chooses to wait for us to recognize our need and make it known to Him. He is aware. He is waiting. He is supplying and He will satisfy.

Let that be our joy this week as we sit in our grief - that we have the El Shaddai. Whether it is the cry of hunger for connection with others or the yawns of tiredness from the stress of life, let us choose to run to Him with our needs. He is our El Shaddai and He will nourish us, supply for us, and satisfy us in the ways that only He can.

“I am God Almighty [El Shaddai}.” - Genesis 17:1