Elizabeth has a son: His name is John!

Having children past the age of childbearing, when the woman’s biological clock is off is not common through any natural means. Of course because of the advancement of science and technology, fertility, in vitro fertilization processes, surrogacy among many other methods have made it easier for women who naturally cannot conceive to have children in the 21st century. We thank God for the knowledge given to humanity. However, imagine the same process in the era without technological innovations. It would have sounded ridiculous to tell Sarah or Elizabeth that doctors can help them have children in their old age. Elizabeth was well along in years and even her husband Zachariah testified that (Luke 1:18). But, when her season of manifestation was up, age didn’t matter. Our God who created time but is not bound by time defied the natural body clock and caused Elizabeth to have a baby.

but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” (Luke 1:60)

Prior to the birth of Elizabeth’s baby, Mary visited her and stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home (Luke 1:56). In the order of narration, Elizabeth had her child after Mary left. This is how Luke’s gospel records it: “When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy” (Luke 1:57‭-‬58). In the Jewish culture, the male son will have to be circumcised on the eighth day. Therefore, “on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” (Luke 1:59‭-‬60). Remember, up until this time, Zachariah was mute. He was unable to talk because he did not believe the words of the angel (Luke 1:19). Thus, the people wanted to name the baby after his father but Elizabeth told them that he is to be called John.

The people were concerned about the name. It sounded novel and they didn’t even know any family member with that name. The people said to Elizabeth, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” (Luke 1:61). The people made signs to Zachariah to find out what he would like to name the child (Luke 1:62), he asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” (Luke 1:63). According to scriptures, “immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God” (Luke 1:64). Zachariah’s tongue was set free right after confirming the name the angel gave to the child. Nine months of silence was over, the prophetic baby had arrived and been named. This incident caused all the neighbours to be filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people talked about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him (Luke 1:65‭-‬66). Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zechariah prophesied about the mandate of his son (Luke 1:67-79).

Elizabeth moved from a barren woman to be celebrated as the mother of John. Indeed, God changed Elizabeth’s story and not only did she have a son, her son was no ordinary son. John grew up and walked before the Lord. He ushered the coming of the Saviour of the world. To think that of all the women in the world, God chose an old woman to fulfill such a task should remind us that indeed with God, all things are possible.

Many of us have lost hope, we have waited so long for our breakthrough that we have almost given up. God has not given up on you yet, so why give up? Keep on holding on to His words, trust Him to perform and position yourself at a vantage place to receive from Him. He is still a miracle working God. Don’t give up!

Hannah’s Psalm: There’s no one holy as the Lord!

There are times that God drops a song of worship in my heart. This does not happen all the time but mostly after a moment of praise and worship. Sometimes, the song would be a Psalm in the Bible and at other times, the song would be words of worship. In such spontaneous worship experiences, I hardly record the lyrics of the songs. I tend to forget the songs after some days. When our inner man is filled with worship, sometimes it comes forth as a new song. The songs that are received directly after a moment of spending quality time with the Lord tend to be an outburst of divine worship. Our worship flows from a heart of gratitude and admiration. We know for sure that only God could have done what He chose to do. The knowledge of that brings us to our knees. Be mindful when you receive spontaneous worship songs. It could be recorded and kept as a memorial of worship. 

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. (1 Samuel 2:1)

Hannah, our focus of study, had been through the lows and the highs of life. She was so much loved by her husband but she remained a barren woman until she presented her case at Shiloh. The Lord remembered her and gave her a son. Hannah vowed to return the son to the Lord and she did just that as soon as the boy Samuel was weaned (see 1 Samuel 1). The atmosphere at Shiloh wouldn’t have been like previous years. Peninnah had no reason to mock Hannah and Hannah had every reason to worship. Hannah was the woman who had been favoured. She had received mercy and love. She prayed for a son and the Lord gave her just that. Her garment of shame was taken away and a garment of worship was placed on her. Hannah’s attitude was that of gratitude. She had none but received so much. In such an atmosphere of worship, 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. “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. “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. “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength. 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. “The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 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. 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; 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.” (1 Samuel 2:1‭-‬10).

Hannah’s Psalm gives paradoxical situations such as the ‘barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.’ Hannah understood that God’s power makes human intelligence naught. She understood that it is not by strength that one prevails. Surely, Hannah’s personal experiences point to the fact that “There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.” God humbles and he exalts and as we saw, the pride of Peninnah was broken and Hannah was exalted. Her Samuel was no ordinary child. No one knows the names of Peninnah’s many children. They were so insignificant in history. Hannah’s Samuel was no ordinary son. He was a priest,  a prophet, a judge, a kingmaker, and most importantly a man of God. Hannah’s dedication of Samuel to the Lord, opened more doors of motherhood to her. “The Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 2:21).

Hannah gave Samuel to the Lord and worshipped before the Lord in Shiloh. The Lord received one son from Hannah and blessed her with five more children. It was a one for five affair. Imagine if Hannah had just held on to Samuel. Hannah’s Psalm points to the Lord our timeless rock. Yes, He has become our salvation and our song. 

Rachel’s testimony: God provided a son to take away her disgrace

The house of Jacob as we have studied, focusing on Rachel and Leah showed a disjointed family and the impact of favouritism. So, Leah and her servant  produced a total of eight sons and a daughter. On the other hand, Rachel’s servant, as at this time, had produced two sons. When we thought the whole story was about to fold up, God showed up again. God had been in this family drama by enabling Leah to conceive when God saw that Jacob does not love Leah. Rachel, the favourite one, continued the cycle of childlessness. We learned that God does not approve of favouritism. We also learned that deception of any kind has the likelihood to cause more harm than good. After years of sister rivalry, God stepped into the story again. The truth is, it is only when God steps into your story and makes it His story that you will experience a divine turnabout. As long as you want to remain the author of your own life’s story, you hardly experience the wonders and miracles of God. 

Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” (Genesis 30:22‭-‬23)

Rachel had a difficult experience with childbearing and the experience made her bitter. However her story changed because God remembered her. Genesis 30:22-24 states that, “Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” She named him Joseph, and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.” What a joy? After all the years that Rachel had been waiting to have a child, the Lord finally showed up. The joy in Rachel’s heart would have been contagious. Her son Joseph was no ordinary son. In the future, he would be a great person and save the world from famine. Joseph did not have an easy life. Just like his mum, he had to contend with his brothers until they finally got rid of him by selling him as a slave. Jacob once again became the source of Joseph’s woes. Jacob demonstrated favouritism towards Joseph just as he had shown towards Rachel and the result was far worse than we expected. For now, let’s celebrate with Rachel,  God has been gracious to her.

The story of Rachel reminds us to fully trust and rely on God for our life’s challenges. Rachel depended on Jacob to give her a child, she even contended for mandrakes to aid her to have a child. However,  it was when God showed up in Rachel’s life that Joseph was born. The birth of Joseph would have been a delight to Rachel and Jacob. Their love would have been ignited again.  Rachel’s deepest longing was met. As she looked into Joseph’s eyes, Rachel would have declared words of love and affection. I believe Rachel would have had great plans for her son. She was actually looking forward to having another son. When we look down on a man for help, we might be worn out by disappointment, delays, deceptions etc. However when we look up to God, He makes all things beautiful in His own time. His timing might not align with our timing but if we are steadfast and do not lose faith, God will show up big time for us.

I don’t know what your expectations are but I am trusting God for mind-blowing testimonies. May God answer us speedily and may we put our trust in Him to rescue, deliver and provide for us. He is Jehovah Jireh (Yahweh yireh): The Lord will provide… Hallelujah. 

Rachel and Leah: Rueben’s mandrakes

The house of Jacob was a tension house. Imagine the drama between Rachel camp and Leah’s camp, the rivalry,  the envy, the competition and possibly the desire to get Jacob’s attention. I am not sure how Jacob managed to get his head together in such a toxic environment but definitely, Jacob was not the happiest man in the world. Rachel and Leah’s daily lives would have been full of quarreling, arguments and bitter feelings. This was the state of Jacob’s family. For God to still use such a broken family for His own glory is a reminder that no one is too broken or too bad for God to use. Jacob continued to work for his father-in-law while his wives took care of the home. One day, Rueben, Leah’s first born son went to the fields “and found some mandrake plants, which he brought to his mother Leah. Rachel said to Leah, “Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.” But she said to her, “Wasn’t it enough that you took away my husband? Will you take my son’s mandrakes too?” “Very well,” Rachel said, “he can sleep with you tonight in return for your son’s mandrakes.” (Genesis 30:14‭-‬15)

So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night. (Genesis 30:16)

What are the mandrakes used for and why did Rachel pay for the mandrakes with “a night with Jacob?” In the ancient world, mandrakes were used for different purposes including  enhancing romance and for fertility.  Therefore, Rachel’s request for the mandrakes seem to be appropriate since she was battling with childbearing issues. Leah also needed the mandrakes because after her fourth son, she ceased childbearing. However, since Jacob favoured Rachel over Leah, the payment for the mandrakes was a night with Jacob. Far away on the fields,  Jacob did not know of the transaction between Rachel and Leah. There was no cell phone to communicate this to Jacob. “So when Jacob came in from the fields that evening, Leah went out to meet him. “You must sleep with me,” she said. “I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.” So he slept with her that night” (Genesis 30:16). Jacob had no choice, he might have had another plan for the evening but he was obliged to sleep with Leah. He had no choice in this transaction but he was the price for mandrakes. Imagine the joy in Leah’s heart and the pressure on Jacob to pay for Rachel’s mandrakes. Jacob’s family could have easily passed for a popular drama series. The plots of their lives were so complicated and viewers will be glued to know what next. Rueben’s mandrakes became Leah’s opportunity to sleep with Jacob and this is what happened:

“God listened to Leah, and she became pregnant and bore Jacob a fifth son. Then Leah said, “God has rewarded me for giving my servant to my husband.” So she named him Issachar. Leah conceived again and bore Jacob a sixth son. Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun. Some time later she gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah.(Genesis 30:17‭-‬21). Rachel was the one looking for the potency of the mandrakes but Leah who exchanged the mandrakes for Jacob had more babies. Did Leah pray to God? Why did vrs.17 begin with “God listened?” The one night with Jacob resulted in a son (Issachar) and later Leah had another son (Zebulun) and then a daughter (Dinah). All these while, Rachel remained childless except the two sons of her servant. Whenever I read these verses,  I am thrilled, God indeed has a good sense of humour. Why would Rachel receive all the love yet remain childless and Leah the unloved one receive all the babies? From another viewpoint, we see that both Rachel and Leah showed trust in the potency of the mandrakes to make one fertile. However, the Rachel who got the fertility plant did not even have a child, but Leah did.

As we study the lives of Rachel and Leah, we are reminded to put our trust in God and to look up to Him for our desires. We are also reminded that no matter our past story, God can still do something with us. Mandrakes are good but ultimately, God is the giver of the desires of our hearts. We should therefore take our attention from “the potency of mandrakes” and rather focus on “the power of God.” Is there anything too hard for the Lord? (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17; Luke 18:27).

Rachel and Leah: Bilhah and Zilpah joined the family drama

As a woman, I understand that we are very delicate and any home that considers the desires of the wife will thrive. In other words, when the wife is happy and satisfied, the home runs smoothly. However, as humans, we do not really need all that we want. Therefore a really happy wife means a lot of excesses that possibly the man doesn’t need will have to be accommodated. It is important for a woman to sieve her desires and cravings because not everything we wish to have are really necessary. If handling one wife comes with handling lots of excesses, imagine a polygamous home where the husband is committed to making all his wives happy and content. Rachel and Leah both had their issues and both felt the need to be satisfied accordingly. Jacob, the man at the center of all this drama had to deal with each wife and their requests. As the story of Rachel and Leah progressed,  we have seen that Rachel’s deepest longing is to have a child and Leah’s desire is to be loved by her husband. How can Jacob satisfy both? Let’s go back to the Bible and continue from there.

Then she said, “Here is Bilhah, my servant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.” When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. (Genesis 30:3‭, ‬9)

Rachel was desperate to have a child and like Sarah, her grandmother-in-law, she decided to give her servant to her husband. Rachel said to Jacob, “Here is Bilhah, my servant. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me and I too can build a family through her.” So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob slept with her, and she became pregnant and bore him a son. Then Rachel said, “God has vindicated me; he has listened to my plea and given me a son.” Because of this she named him Dan. Rachel’s servant Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. Then Rachel said, “I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.” So she named him Naphtali.” (Genesis 30:3‭-‬8). This did not go well with Leah. “When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she took her servant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a son. Then Leah said, “What good fortune!” So she named him Gad. Leah’s servant Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. Then Leah said, “How happy I am! The women will call me happy.” So she named him Asher.” (Genesis 30:9‭-‬13). Jacob looks like the victim here, he was manipulated by his own wives to take on more wives and have more children. 

The drama in the house of Jacob was now intense. Rachel’s camp had two children and Leah’s camp had six children. Jacob was the man in the middle of this “baby-making business”. How was he managing his work life, family life and emotional state? Family feud of any kind is not good and it ends up draining all parties, causing disunity and grudge. The whole drama began with deception and favouritism that escalated to something else. When the Bible warns us against lies and favouritism, it is for our own good. Besides the right relationship we have with God when we eschew evil, we also have peace and tranquility in our lives when we live right. Each person has a role in the home to ensure peace and development. Envy, favouritism, hatred and bitterness are a good recipe for a “troubled home”. Imagine the heat and the tension when each one is against the other and each one in a competition with another in the same family. The children of such discombobulated homes carry the same mindset of their parents. How can the peace of God reign in such an atmosphere? One husband, four women… Jacob must have been a very busy man.

Imperfect people need a perfect God as their Saviour and that is why we all need God because we are not perfect. I pray that any home going through difficult times encounters the presence of God. Remember, only God can satisfy our deepest longings and desires. No person can give us what will permanently make us satisfied. Instead of worrying and nagging people for what we don’t have, we should work with what we have, and ask God for His provision for what we need. May the peace of God be with us all. 

Rachel and Leah: God joined the drama

Jacob’s decision to marry two sisters didn’t come without concerns. First, Rachel was the most loved wife and Leah wasn’t loved. Jacob repeated the mistake of his parents: favouritism. Jacob should have been more knowledgeable about the effects of favouritism and the consequences it brings. However, he was in love with Rachel but Leah was just “a mistake of a wife.” Imagine the joy in Rachel’s heart and the bitterness in Leah’s heart. It was a public display of favouritism and God was not pleased at all. If rivalry between two strange women can be sore, rivalry between two sisters who both feel cheated by their father is worse. Romans 2:11 states that, “God does not show favoritism” and James 2:9 also quotes that, “if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.” Therefore, Jacob was not obeying God by favouring Rachel over Leah. Therefore God Himself joined the drama. 

When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. (Genesis 29:31)

Remember, the biggest concerns of Jacob’s family had been childbirth. Sarah and Rebekah faced the issue of childlessness for years. When God stepped into the situation,  this is what happened: “When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless” (Genesis 29:31). God opened the door of childbirth for Leah. She escaped the familiar trend of childlessness but for Rachel, she remained childless. When you are loved by man, they do their best to make you happy, but when you are loved by God, He gives you the best of the land. Rachel had Jacob but was childless, Leah had God and she had it all. In a few years, Leah’s family grew bigger and Rachel remained the same. “Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon. Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi. She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.” (Genesis 29:32‭-‬35).

Leah’s naming patterns remind me of traditional African communities where names are based on situations. Leah was obsessed with getting her husband’s attention that she missed God’s providence in her life. She kept naming her sons after her emotions. When she finally had the fourth son, Leah changed the naming pattern. She said “This time I will praise the Lord” and the child was named Judah. Indeed God deserved all her praise. While Leah escaped from the generational issue of barreness because God showed her mercy, Rachel lived in bitterness. She became envious of her sister and she kept nagging Jacob for a child. “When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” Jacob became angry with her and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?” (Genesis 30:1‭-‬2). The drama in Jacob’s house was not pleasant and Jacob might have felt the heat of pain and bitterness. He had to live with it. The decision to marry two sisters and  the desire to show favouritism contributed to the heat in his home. 

If Jacob was pressed, imagine Rachel and Leah. The sisters might have been on serious loggerheads and daily, each would have tried to be the best. Rachel was loved but had no children, Leah wasn’t loved but had enough children. What is the next move of this broken family? Will God leave the drama? 
If there is any lesson to learn today, bear in mind that God does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11) and, if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers (James 2:9).

An answered prayer: Rebekah is going to have babies

Eliezer’s journey was successful. Rebekah gladly followed him to become the wife of Isaac. As they approached Isaac’s home, “Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?” “He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” (Genesis 24:64‭-‬67). Rebekah’s presence took away the pain that the death of Sarah brought on Isaac. She comforted him and he loved her. But Rebekah had an issue. The same issue Sarah had and battled with it for years. Rebekah was childless. It might have been quite frustrating for the new couple as they had to revisit pain of the past. However, this time, the approach to resolving the issue was different. 

Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. (Genesis 25:21)

Sarah’s resolution was to have Hagar to have a baby with Abraham. The implications were not so desirable. Isaac and Rebekah had a better approach. They prayed! Genesis 25:21 states that “Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.” Such a joy! It was not a straightforward pregnancy. Rebekah had the most unlikely situation in her womb, “the babies jostled each other within her, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:22‭-‬23). Rebekah’s pregnancy was no ordinary pregnancy. She was carrying two nations who will ultimately separate. How did Rebekah deal with this news? Was Isaac aware of the fact that they were going to have two separate nations in the house? As ridiculous as it sounds, Rebekah’s womb was the practice grounds for the rivalry. Right there, the babies refused to cooperate.

Rebekah’s delivery was no ordinary one. “When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb. The first to come out was red, and his whole body was like a hairy garment; so they named him Esau. After this, his brother came out, with his hand grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when Rebekah gave birth to them. (Genesis 25:24‭-‬26). Remember that Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah (Genesis 25:20). Thus, the couple waited for twenty years until Esau and Jacob were born. Rebekah might have been so happy to become a mother. As she looked into the faces of her sons, she also knew that, in the future, she would see two rival nations out of her sons. Rebekah was aware that Esau (the older) would serve Jacob (the younger). As they remained babies, she might have relished every moment spent with them. But deep in her heart, she knew that the future would be a bit messy. Rivalry and hatred might erupt and this would possibly lead to separation. 

What do you do when faced with a future with uncertainty? Whenever we are faced with uncertainty,  we should go back to God and He will show us the way forward. 

Sarai: Obeying the call of God

When God calls a married person into ministry, the whole family is involved. He doesn’t call the man or the woman alone. Both couples are ultimately involved and if they have children, the kids are not left out either. That is why the marriage partner and the children of a minister are under society’s watchful eyes. If any of them should misbehave, it is automatically counted by society against the minister of God. For every minister, your home is your first congregation and shepherding your family well is a sign of good leadership. As we continue the series on Sarai (Sarah), let’s consider the call of Abram (Abraham). First, Sarah was dealing with life’s issues, then she had to travel to another place and the journey got aborted midway. All this time, we are yet to see the involvement of God in their lives. Suddenly, there was a turning point in their lives. Abram received an important call that changed their lives forever. What was Sarai’s response to that call?

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. (Genesis 12:1, 5)

As the couple continued to live in Haran, Abram had a supernatural encounter. God called Abram to begin a permanent friendship with him. Genesis 12:1-3 records that, “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  God indeed had big plans for Abram and Sarai. First, the couple were called to leave the country, people and family to a new land that God Himself will show them. Their obedience to that command will see them becoming a great nation and a blessing to the world. It sounds good right? Yes, it does! Looks like finally God has come to change the story. Abram and Sarai obeyed the voice of God and set out on their new journey to God’s own land. 

“So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.” (Genesis 12:4‭-‬5). Finally, they arrived in Canaan, the place Terah (Abram’s father) had planned to take the family. In Canaan, “Abram travelled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” (Genesis 12:6‭-‬7). What a joy? Did God just say offspring? Is He going to bless Abram and Sarai with  children? Abram was Seventy-five years at this time and Sarai was probably sixty-five years old. Even in our day, it takes scientific help to make a 65 year old woman conceive. However, the couple believed God, obeyed his words and even raised an altar of sacrifice for God. 

Sarai has begun a new chapter with God and it already looks promising. She left everything behind and followed Abram to the land God promised. As she stepped into this new relationship with God, she still had her issues. However, holding on to God’s promise, “I will make you into a great nation”, Sarai’s shattered hope of being a mother was restored. She was confident that in any way, God will come through for them. Thus, she went about her life, taking good care of herself and radiating beauty that catches the eyes of kings. Remember, she was 65 years old!

Sarai: Finding strength in the midst of pain

In our modern world, there are still national protests in some countries and territories advocating more rights for women. Until recently, women in a certain country were not even allowed to drive. Women rights have always been human rights. If in the face of technological advances and overblown knowledge, women are still treated as second class citizens in some places, imagine the state of women 1000s of years ago. However, even in these stifling conditions, God still used different women to achieve His purpose and to bring His will on earth. We started a journey with Sarai (later to be known as Sarah) and identified that she was a woman with a burning desire; she was childless. Sarai and her family had enjoyed their lives at Ur of the Chaldeans until she was told that it was time to move. I am not so sure if Sarai was consulted before the relocation. It was time to move on and her father-in-law had plans to take them to Canaan. 

Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there. (Genesis 11:31)

Ur might have been a place of comfort and fun. It is possible that Sarai had extended family and friends in Ur. Social and family ties serve as a strong support system and we get attached to what we have known for a long time. However, it was time to move and “Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there” (Genesis 11:31). The plan of Terah to go to Canaan was aborted at Haran. The family settled on a land that was not their final destination. “Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran” (Genesis 11:32) without fulfilling the desire of moving to Canaan. Many of us are like Terah, we gear up for big dreams but at the end, we settle for less. Sarai was far away from Ur (where her past life was built) and far away from Canaan (where her future is destined for). Between Ur and Canaan is Haran, the land which was not meant to be the final destination. Settling in Haran does not bring fulfillment. It stalls vision and dreams. In the midst of pain, Sarai was still the support system for Abram. Her inner strength to move and to live shows in her physical appearance (she was well taken care of and a beautiful woman who could catch your attention).

Sarai, the woman with an issue, was in a strange land. Her father-in-law who took them to the land had died. She remained childless and possibly had to keep all her pain to herself. Haran is a new land with new people. Have you ever felt alone surrounded by people you can hardly relate to? Sarai might have felt the same. Have you ever felt that your prayers have taken so long to be answered? Sarai might have felt the same. Have you ever wondered when you will finally get to see what you have been waiting for? Sarai felt the same. She was a woman who moved along with her pain of childlessness. She might have cried at some point, she might have asked Abram to give her a child but she was still strong. She was still the submissive wife who followed her husband wherever he went. When we are dealing with internal pains, sometimes it reflects in our relationship with others. We tend to vent our anger and frustration on people who might not have any idea of the pain we are going through. 

In the New Testament, Peter’s teaching on marital submissions used Sarah (Sarai) as an example; 
“For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her Lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” (1 Peter 3:5‭-‬6)

Dear sisters, no matter the situation we find ourselves, we should not lose ourselves to pain. 
Dear brother, be a support system for your wife, your sister and that female friend. When we cannot find peace, help us to understand that total peace is found in the Lord. 

Like Sarai, the destination might look far, but we will get there in Jesus name. 

Sarai: Dealing with issues

The Bible is very specific about introducing people. Sometimes I ask why specific tags are needed for certain people when we could actually mention the person’s name and just move on. But I have realized that those name tags are given on purpose. Besides name tags, when people are dealing with life’s issues, the Bible does not hide it. It exposes the specific issue and later when there is a change in the person’s life, we are able to see the transformation or the miracle that has taken place. In life, we all deal with different issues: it could be marital, health, financial, or any other thing that causes us to worry. Sometimes, these issues in life can be so overwhelming that it causes us to have sleepless nights. In fact, for most people dealing with different types of life’s challenges, they are at the mercy of those who have overcome those challenges. Grief and pain from life’s challenges can lead one to develop other health related issues. 

Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.(Genesis 11:30)

Sarai (later known as Sarah) was married to Abram (later known as Abraham). We don’t know about their lives before marriage. What we know is that “Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive” (Genesis 11:30). Sarai had an issue with childbearing. We are not given details of the medical conditions. I believe there was no scientific diagnosis for whatever reason that was preventing Sarai from conceiving. They did not have access to all the tools we have now. They did not have the option for IVF. Sarai was just introduced as the woman who was unable to conceive. If childbearing is a big thing for most marriages in our day, imagine a highly patrilineal society where having children is necessary for the sustenance of the family line. Sarai must have been a woman with deeper inner struggles because of the inability to conceive. Whether she was married to her sweetheart or the man who loved her above all else, Sarai still had these issues and as such she might have been worried about what was happening. 

Like Sarai, we deal with different issues each day. Life can be full of uncertainties and the fear of the unknown future causes many to worry about their present state in life. Marital challenges have the potential of causing strife and divorce if not handled with godly wisdom. Sickness is also a big issue of life. There are instances that very healthy young couples have been suddenly riddled with life threatening sicknesses that put strains on their marriages. Godly marriages are ordained to last the rain and the storms of life; in sickness and health, in riches and in poverty, for better and for worse. These are not just quotes we rush through during marriage ceremonies to be done with. No! The reality is that life can be a Rollercoaster of good, bad and ugly issues. When one say I do, technically you say that “I will stand by you no matter the challenges we may go through.” Since this commitment is an exchanged vow, both the husband and the wife are committed to stand by their words. It is not a one-sided coin. Abram was aware that Sarai was unable to conceive but we do not find any instance in scripture showing Abram asking Sarai to conceive or he leaves her. In fact, if not for Sarai, Abram wouldn’t have gone for another woman during the lifetime of Sarai. 

Women throughout history have been at the mercies of societal ridicule for things they cannot control such as childbearing. Sarai’s issue later became her testimony after several years. While we pray and hold on to God, we should also be intentional about what we do in-between the waiting time and the time for our miracle.