1 Chronicles 26:8. All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and two of Obededom.

The Lord blessed Obededom after he had the ark of the covenant in his house for three months.  He had eight sons and many grandsons (62 in all) who served as porters in the house of God.  I think at times we fail to recognize the blessing of children in our lives.  Throughout the Old Testament, blessings and having children; especially boys, was a sign of God’s blessing.  The Bible likens children to olive plants around a table.  The olive was a crucial part of the Old Testament economy and was a source of most oil.  Oil was a very valuable commodity in the Old Testament.  This shows the value of children as being very high.

Our society values children very little.  They often have children only out of convenience. Motherhood is often secondary to a career, for many modern women.  The Bible makes it clear that there is no higher calling for a woman than to raise a godly generation.  The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.  If children are God’s blessing for this life, it is very important that we take care of what God has blessed us with – our children.  Children are the only thing you are going to take to heaven with you, if they get saved.  Obededom was greatly blessed of God with able men of strength for service.  These men were strong and served the Lord willingly with good hearts.

We need to value what God values.  Children being raised for God are of great value to the Lord.  Like olive oil, our children are very valuable.  We need to invest time in them to help them live godly lives.  There is no greater joy than to see your children live for God.  It blesses the Lord as well, as he sees another generation living for Him.