Symbols in Pregnancy and Birth (Part 3, the Final): Giving Life

Giving Life

I went on a slight tangent in my young women's class I taught some Sundays ago.  We talked about Zion and somehow I ended up talking about the divine calling of motherhood.  Moses 7:18 states, “the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them”.  One of the three main points of creating Zion is that there is "no poor among them".  I posed the question, "Why is this so important to Zion?"  While there is more to this answer than my answer, I gave this answer as a thought.  Giving the basic needs of all human beings (food, shelter, clothing…all of which provide energy and heat to your body, keeping your body physically alive) when they cannot do so for themselves is giving LIFE to another.  We need these things to live.  By giving birth you are actually giving life as well.  You give a part of your physical self in order to give life to another.  This ability to give life relates to a small family structure, but we need to remember that we are all brothers and sisters on Earth and it is our responsibility to give life to those who need it as well.  Even if you are unable to bear children; raising a child, giving to the poor and needy, or helping to care for anyone who has a need that they cannot provide for themselves would also be giving your life (time, service, money, etc) to give life to another so that they too may have what they need to live...they depend on you to live.

Lehi's dream of the Tree of Life tells us, “Yea, it [the tree of life] is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men” (1 Ne 11:22).  What is the “love of God"?  How come this is the Tree of Life?  What relationship do they have with one another?  I always thought the love of God was simply His love he had for me.  But I think it goes much deeper than that brief explanation.  So deep in fact, that no matter what I say it wouldn’t do justice to the full meaning.  God loves us so much that He let His Son descend from his throne above to come to an endlessly flawed Earth so that He could give us life eternal, no matter how wicked, flawed, or righteous we are.  He gave that gift of life to all mankind.  That is how God's love is related to a tree that gives life.  To achieve the "love of God" in our own lives, it would be to feel that love that God and Christ has for each and every one of us and place that love inside of our own hearts about all mankind individually, including finding that love for myself.  That requires having an understanding of everyone's differences, trials, needs, dreams, etc.  But since we are not God, being imperfect, and on Earth it is impossible to actually "fill another's shoes", it is important for us to never judge another's actions.  Recognize that if people really understood what they were doing then they wouldn't do it.  Recognize that they need love and there is something in their life that is lacking.  Recognize that I'm in the same boat with needs and imperfections.  Just love them.  Just love myself. Don't seek justice, seek mercy.  Pray for those in need, including praying for myself.

The creation is so important to understanding who God is so that we may be like him.  He is the giver of LIFE in all things.  The Earth, the skies, animals, humans.  “For this is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).  Giving life is HIS WORK and HIS GLORY.  He gives life in a physical sense that we have a body.  He also gives life eternal.  Even if we were to describe someone who is “full of life” we would expect to find someone who is excited and happy, which is another thing God gives to us.  In Alma 32 it talks about the experiment of your faith like unto a seed.  You know the seed is good because “your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand” (Alma 32:34).  God gives us light and understanding to expand our minds.  When a person learns and understands something new, they become “enlightened” and excited and often seek to learn and grow more, giving life to someone and something that didn’t before have life.  Enlightenment and understanding, those are also given from God as a form of life and are a requirement to receiving life eternal.

Those are simply a few things I have learned over the past few months that have helped me come to the conclusion that I would like to try having a natural birth this time around.  Not that I feel that a natural birth is greater or more spiritual than medicated birth, c-section, or adoption.  But to feel an incredibly small part of what Christ did to bring life, eternal life, to me.  And even now, writing all these things down makes me happier.  And Christ is happy.  I can feel the truth of the things that I have stated by the feeling of enlightenment and happiness that it brings as I think about them.  I have many fears and doubts, but perhaps I simply need to cast those things aside because they make me feel closed off and sad, which is the opposite of what God wants for me.  If I need or end up having a medicated birth, I still would feel at peace with myself because I still have the opportunity to bring life into this world and to simply be blessed with healthy children.  All of this has also given new understanding to also being a mother.