What can childbirth teach us about our Savior?

We'll find out together in just a SEC.

Welcome to the show.

I'm Daniel Daub and this is for your Sunday morning drive.

The short podcast with the goal of providing some motivation, Dr.

and encouragement on your way to worship and helping you recenter your mind on spiritual things on those hectic Sunday mornings.

I'm really excited to share today's episode with you because we have a very special guest, my wife, Whitney.

Whitney is an avid reader.

That's an understatement if there ever was one.

I assure you she's dedicated to homeschooling our children and she's the love of my life.

Shameless plug, She also sells her own loose leaf tea blends at Novelty brews.com.

I'll put a link in the show notes.

I'm partial, but they're pretty great.

Anyway, I'm so thankful that Whitney allowed me to twist her arm into being on the show because the thoughts that she shares come right from the heart, and they're fantastic.

Well, let's go ahead and get the show on the road.

This is episode 87.

Sorrow into joy.

Let's go to church.

Are we there yet?

Originally, when Daniel asked me to be on his podcast, I was very hesitant because I was worried I wouldn't have the right words to say.

As his first female guest, it feels like there is a kind of pressure behind that.

There are some experiences in this life that are purely and uniquely female, one of the most important ones being the bearing of children.

Having a baby is such a crazy experience.

It is the strangest combination of joy, anxiety, anticipation, and pure terror, especially for the first time.

Mom, for the entire pregnancy, these emotions roll through you and wave after wave and really all you can do is wait.

Those nine months feel like a lifetime and at the end you are forced to face the dreaded labor.

With our first, I remember being terrified as that day crept closer and closer.

I remember thinking, I'm not sure I can do this.

How will I endure it?

I'm not strong enough.

I'll come back to this in a minute.

This year, Daniel and I have been doing a chronological reading of the Bible.

For those of you who have never done this, I highly recommend it.

Reading the Bible in the order that it happened has completely altered how my brain thinks about Jesus.

He was there from the very first page of Genesis, all throughout the Old Testament, and to the very last verse of Revelation.

A few weeks ago, we read all the accounts of Jesus's crucifixion.

In John 14 through 17.

Jesus is saying his last parting words to his disciples and praying to the Father before he is arrested.

In John 1621 and 22, Jesus compares his death to childbirth.

He tells his disciples when a woman gives birth, she has distress because her time has come.

But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the suffering because of her joy that a human being has been born into the world.

So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

So in John 16, Jesus comforts his disciples by telling them their sorrow will turn to joy.

Then in the very next chapter he prays to the Father for his disciples.

He is literally about to be arrested, beaten and killed and he thought only for his disciples in 1712 He says I kept them safe and watched over them.

Then in verse 15 he asked the Father to keep them safe from the evil one since he will no longer be there to do it himself.

It astounds me that despite the fact Jesus knew what was going to happen to him, He prayed to the Father for all his disciples, including the ones who had yet to be born.

Like those listening to this podcast episode in the year 2025.

The day I read these chapters, I sat at my dining room table wiping away tears, barely holding it together like the crowds in Acts 237, I felt cut to the heart.

It dawned on me if I felt that much distress for a few months before having a baby.

Imagine how Jesus felt when He spoke the world into existence, knowing that thousands of years from that moment, his time would come as well.

He knew He would willingly go to the cross to die for the humans He created.

Also, we could choose to have a joy that no one can take from us.

People often say that children are little miracles, and in many ways, parenthood does feel that way.

As a new mother, you have just endured what is likely the worst pain and suffering of your life.

But as you look into the face of your newborn, none of that means anything anymore.

Every day, every hour and minute and second was worth it.

It's incredible to know that is how Jesus thinks of Christians as he cradles us in his arms.

Whitney shared some great thoughts for our Sunday morning drive.

Now it's time to hear yours.

Our discussion questions for this week are how does Jesus comparison of his suffering to childbirth reshape the way you view both pain and purpose in your own spiritual life?

In what ways does knowing that Jesus prayed specifically for future believers, including you, affect your sense of security, identity, or gratitude?

And where in your life have you experienced sorrow that later transformed into joy, and how might that reflect the pattern that Jesus describes in John 16?

Hey, thanks for listening.

I hope you have an excellent week and a great day of worship.

I'll see you Sunday.