"I need to get my life perfect before God will bless me with children."
How it sounds in your head: Better job, more money saved, debt paid off, spiritual disciplines consistent. Then maybe I'll be worthy of being a dad. Right now I'm too much of a mess.
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
-- Romans 5:8Religion: turning blessing into achievement unlocked after completing prerequisites, making you earn what Jesus already purchased with blood.
Dave Ramsey says get out of debt first. Church says get spiritually mature first. Culture says get established first. Everyone has a checklist you haven't completed yet.
Jacob was RUNNING FROM HOME after deceiving his father and stealing his brother's blessing through lies - morally disqualified by any religious standard. Yet God appeared to him at Bethel and confirmed 'I am with you and will bless you' WHILE he was a fugitive, giving him the covenant promise IMMEDIATELY.
I REFUSE the lie that I need to perfect my life before Father blesses me with children. IT IS WRITTEN that while I was STILL a sinner, Christ died for me - blessing isn't waiting for my performance. Jacob was blessed WHILE RUNNING FROM HOME after lying and deceiving, and I'm under a BETTER covenant. Dave Ramsey can keep his checklist - the BARAK blessed deceivers, liars, and murderers based on COVENANT not creditworthiness. IT IS WRITTEN that I am blessed coming in and going out, not after I get everything together. I am not earning reproductive blessing through better behavior - I'm RECEIVING it through Jesus's blood. Father isn't waiting for me to be worthy - He made me worthy through the cross. The prodigal got the party while still smelling like pigs.
Father doesn't have a prerequisite checklist before releasing reproductive blessing - He gave Jacob the covenant promise while he was running from home as a deceiver. He's running toward you NOW with the blessing, not waiting for you to achieve enough to deserve it.