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A humbled and open heart is fertile soil for God’s seeds of wisdom. Establishing deeper roots requires analyzing God’s word to discover truths, values, and lessons for application to our lives. Periodically, a scripture or passage calls for further exploration, like Genesis 25:21-26.
21 Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. 22 But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the Lord about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked.
23 And the Lord told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”
24 And when the time came to give birth, Rebekah discovered that she did indeed have twins! 25 The first one was very red at birth and covered with thick hair like a fur coat. So they named him Esau. 26 Then the other twin was born with his hand grasping Esau’s heel. So they named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.
Genesis 25:21-26 NLT
Our Deeper Roots passage in Genesis reminds us that God’s ways are not like ours. Our scripture selection begins with Isaac interceding for Rebekah’s womb to open. Isaac’s prayer was answered. Rebekah becomes pregnant, but she’s met with some challenges. Her pregnancy is not easy and she asks the Lord, “Why is this happening to me?” The Lord responds with an answer that her sons will be in competition with each other, but the youngest would come out on top. When the time of birth comes, Rebekah births twins, Esau and Jacob. Jacob comes out second grasping the heel of his older brother, Esau. A foreshadowing of things to come.
Isaac carries the promise that God gave his father Abraham. But it’s been 20 years that Isaac and Rebekah have been married and they haven’t had any children. So Isaac prays to God for his wife to have a child (this is a different approach from his parents, Sarah and Abraham). The Lord opens Rebekah’s womb and she conceives. Rebekah has a rough pregnancy. One translation says she asks God, “Why do I live?(ESV)” God responds to her with a small glimpse into His plan to make nations out of her sons. God also shares that the sons and their descendants will be at odds with each other, yet the younger son would prevail. At birth, there’s wordplay on the names Esau (hairy) and Jacob (heel). Names that will add significance to other events in the future.
God’s hand weaves this story together with such unpredictable grace. His ways are not our ways. Being blessed to conceive after waiting 20 years had to be a source of pure joy. Yet how quickly Rebekah’s joy disappeared when the babies struggled in her womb. It made her question her life. The encouraging piece is how she took it back to God and He answered. He’s always there for His children. God shares a small piece of His big plan of redemption and restoration. Just enough to keep Rebekah going and fulfill the promise.
God has given each of His children a promise. He will ensure that it comes to pass. The challenge – ‘Don’t cling tightly to your own thoughts on how and when it will happen. Trust God’s timing and methods.’
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I know that most people are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, but December always reminds me to slow down and reflect. It’s something about the cold weather that forces me to cozy up and sit still… I believe the stillness opens
With a little over 30 days left in the year, it’s easy to put a pin in new ideas or projects until the new year. As tempting as enjoying the pause may be, there are some things that we have been called to do that require our action now. Spiritual callings require our steadfast attention, not temporary devotion when our schedules allow. In this season, the Lord has been challenging me to finish well.
In a culture that values purpose and spiritual gifting, it’s interesting how quickly we toss them to the side when we’re fatigued or distracted. We yield to the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We abandon how we show up out of convenience; missing opportunities to share the Gospel or be the hands and feet of Christ. Simply put, we fail to finish well.
El Roi. The God who sees me. When we talk about Hagar, we often refer to this tender exchange. This exact moment in the wilderness when she encounters God… when she accepts correction and instruction to return to a tense situation… when she receives the promise concerning the son in her womb… when she recognizes that she is seen and known by name. Yes, this is a pivotal moment, marked with such a significant name, and as I began to walk through Hagar’s story, to be seen, is so much deeper than watching someone visually.
“Are you going to try for another one?”
The ink on our marriage certificate wasn’t even dry before people began to ask when my husband and I were planning on having children. This seemingly innocent question was often met with ‘we don’t know’ outwardly, but inwardly it reinforced the shame of not being able to conceive a child.
I am the one in four.
If you or someone close to you is in need, we would be honored to lift you up in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer to bring peace, comfort, and reassurance during times of hardship. Our community is ready to join together and pray as we trust in God’s love and unending grace.
