Eating

Probably the first thing God taught me in our first days as a three-person family regarded Ellia's eating.

First, Ellia must eat. If she doesn't eat, she will die.

Second, she must receive her food from us (Mom, mostly). If Mom withholds, Ellia doesn't eat, and Ellia will die.

Yet, Ellia must work for her food. This is in stark contrast to the nine months she spent in the womb. During that time, she was fed by a cord attached directly to her stomach. She had to do nothing except let God grow her in her mother's womb. But as soon as she was delivered from her womb and began to breathe oxygen, she had to go through the (at times very painful) process of working for food. I had no idea it wasn't just automatic that babies know how to eat properly. For breast-fed babies, they have to learn to 'latch on,' how to swallow, etc. There are plenty of amazing biological/physiological things that happen automatically because God created it that way. But he also created it so that we must work for our milk.

So though all the food that is necessary must come from Christina (making Ellia 100% dependent on her mom), Ellia still must do her part. If she doesn't, she won't eat, and she will die.

The apostle Paul said it this way: 'Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure' (Philippians 2:12-13). God has all we need at his disposal, and God longs to give it to us as a mother longs to give food to her child. But the child must learn her role in this process.

As we've progressed in this past month in the eating department, there have been fits and starts throughout. Ellia sometimes spits up what her mother gives her, or even refuses to eat despite the fact that she is hungry. But her mother, a gracious and patient mother, never loses heart and is always there to wipe her off, clean her up, and give her what she needs.

May we all grow in our desire and our ability to eat and rest in the eternal resources of our loving Provider.