I recently bought some new fiction books from Amazon to read in my "spare" time, however I have chosen not to pick them up until I catch up in my Bible Study. I am behind in my Chronological study due to slowly getting behind each day and now am further than I want to be. So my goal is to catch up this week. It is absolutely eating my lunch and I can't stand being behind!
However, it has been so neat how God still uses the passage of scripture I read each day, even if I am behind, to bless my heart at just the right time.
This past week, I read one of my favorite stories, Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. Naomi was married with 2 sons and all of them were taken from her by death and she was left with her 2 daughter-in-laws. She encouraged them to go back to their mothers so they could remarry however Ruth says one of my favorite passages of scripture:
16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May theLord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her."
Ruth 1:16-18
I hear horror stories about mother-in-laws and estranged families because of them. However, I can proudly say that I have a wonderful mother-in-law, and proud to know her and I love her to death. But that is LITERALLY what Ruth promised to do to Naomi. Her dedication and devotion to her mother-in-law is unwavering, despite her probable desire to marry again and have children. But because of her sacrifice and desire to be obedient, the Lord blessed her with that mate she longed for (Boaz) and soon after a son named Obed, who just happens to David's grandfather. WOW! Talk about a blessing. God's sovereignty and timing was perfect as always.
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I have never dealt with infertility so I can't say that I understand however my heart breaks for those who do. I can't imagine having a heart to be a mother (and what a strong desire that is for married women) and not be able to conceive. I know the range of emotions one must go through (confusion, hurt anger, questioning) when things don't happen as you expect.
But to make matters worse, Hannah was married to a man Elkanah who also had another wife, Peninnah, who would constantly tease Hannah because she couldn't conceive. It was so bad scripture tells us that "her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat." Ouch! The only thing worse than not being able to conceive is have someone in your own household who constantly reminds you of it and rubs it in your face.
Scripture tells us that Hannah "in bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord." I Samuel 1:7. She then made a covenant with the Lord and God remembered her and gave her a son, named Samuel, meaning "Because I asked the Lord for him."
Then she states one of my other favorite verses from scripture, "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I ask of him!" 1 Samuel 1:27
Hannah then praises the Lord for what he has done in her life, a beautiful moment.
(1Samuel 2 and Psalm 113)
Hannah’s Prayer (I Samuel 2)
2 Then Hannah prayed and said:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.
2 “There is no one holy like the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
3 “Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.
4 “The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.
6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave and raises up.
7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.
8 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.
“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
on them he has set the world.
9 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
10 those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
Psalm 113
Praise the Lord, you his servants;
praise the name of the Lord.
2 Let the name of the Lord be praised,
both now and forevermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be praised.
4 The Lord is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
8 he seats them with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He settles the childless woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
I pray that if you are struggling with finding a mate or your desire to have children and God hasn't yet granted those requests that you remember that God truly is capable and faithful and his timing is perfect even though we don't understand and the pain is undeniably gut-wrenching. Even still,
Let the name of the Lord be praised,
both now and forevermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be praised.
