My wife and I just had our 7th baby. I know that doesn’t sound right but it is. I double checked. There are seven children living in our house.

Today we have a 9 year old, a 7 year old, a 6 year old, a 4 year old, a 3 year old, a 1 year old, and a newborn. Ten years from now we’ll have five teenagers and two preteens.

Jealous?

Whenever our family is out in public strangers give us feedback. They can’t help themselves. Some people are excited to see a big family. Other people let us know that they think it’s just too many kids. If you want a lot of unsolicited advice from strangers I’ve found nothing more effective than having a large family.

Yes, we know how this happens. No, we don’t have a reality TV show. Thank you for letting us know that college is expensive. Got it.

It goes without saying that my experience as the dad is different than my wife’s experience as the mom. From my perspective, I still can’t get over how amazing it is that God creates new life through our marriage. I am in awe that this person who now fits in my hands lived inside of my bride’s body for nine months.

Even after experiencing this seven times it doesn’t get old for me. In fact, it becomes more amazing the more opportunity I get to think about it. Sometimes familiarity can cause the extraordinary to become ordinary. Since we can explain the biology it is easy to forget how amazing every birth truly is.

The creation, cultivation, and delivery of life into the world. Amazing. If you don’t think so then you probably haven’t thought about it enough.

Some estimates put the average number of births worldwide at 353,000 per day. That’s 353,000 ordinary miracles. Every day.

My wife and I truly believe what the Bible says about children. We believe they are a blessing. On particularly stressful days we remind each other that children are a blessing. It helps us get through the day without pulling out all of our hair. On both difficult days and easy ones we are thankful for our seven ordinary miracles.

We know how hard some people pray for their own ordinary miracle. That is not lost on us. We don’t know how many ordinary miracles the Lord will bless us with. We’re open to letting Him decide.

One of the biggest blessings that I’ve experienced as a father so far is a deeper understanding of biblical imagery. God reveals Himself as a Father. He adopts us as His children when we repent and trust in Christ. In order to enter the kingdom of Heaven we must be born-again.

It’s no coincidence that God’s Word speaks of salvation often with the imagery of birth.

But to all who have received him– those who believe in his name– he has given the right to become God’s children – children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God. (John 1:12-13 NET)

Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 NET)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you, who by God’s power are protected through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5 NET)

My wife and I are so thankful for receiving another gift from the Lord in our baby daughter. We are even more thankful for the gift of salvation that we received through Christ.

Our house has rejoiced in the addition to our family. Likewise, heaven rejoices over every conversion. The angels celebrate every time another child of God is added to the family.

Do you celebrate the ordinary miracle of conversion? Do you seek to obey our God by walking in the ministry of reconciliation, knowing that through the proclamation of the gospel people are able to be born-again into an everlasting inheritance in Christ?

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word that was proclaimed to you. (1 Peter 1:23-25 NET)

Praise God for ordinary miracles!

Expect God to continue drawing people to Himself from every tribe, tongue, and nation. Expect people to be born-again when God’s people are faithful in obeying the Great Commission. Thank Him when He fulfills His promises.