Isn't it great how the Bible is full of real people with real stories, some of success, some of failure and restart, some of pride, some of love.
The story of two real women caught my eye today, perhaps because they dealt with something that i feel like i battle alot -- fear.
Lot and his two daughters made it safely and salt-lessly out of Sodom and made their first stop at a small town named Zoar. After a time, Lot decided he didn't like it there, so he and his girls found a cave in the mountains.
The older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man in the country [on the earth] by whom we can get pregnant. Let's get our father drunk with wine and lie with him. We'll get children through our father—it's our only chance to keep our family alive."
My mother guided me along life's way to not say words like "never" or "no one" ... no negative inclusive statements - which, in my case, were usually accompanied by a generous portion of whining. I am grateful for Mom showing me that path away from the "nevers" in life.
Lot's daughter pulled out a generous portion of whining herself when she made that all inclusive statement that there was NO man in the country -- no man on the earth. I can just picture her throwing herself dramatically against a mountain crevice, hand tossed across her young, unwrinkled forehead and moaning that there wasn't a man left on earth.
I'm sure many single women have said that sentence! I'm sure the thought traipsed through my single mind while waiting for the right man to make his entrance on the stage that i wanted him to appear.
But these two young ladies decided to act in fear - not faith - instead of taking the matter into their prayer cave (probably no closets at that moment, hence their expediated dive into fearful thinking, because what woman can live a faithfilled life without a closet?! just kidding. mostly.).
The girls didn't even investigate if there was a man left anywhere in the country or the earth. Their mountain-top gaze pointed downward to the steaming ashes of Sodom - and not upward and out beyond their circumstances to what God might have in store for them --- married or not.
Too bad Ruth hadn't been on the scene yet; she coulda encouraged them a bit.
The girls didn't even allow their father to carry out his fatherly responsibility in searching out a husband for them. Needless to say, the girls' vision for their own lives and the people around them was clouded with fear. And perhaps a drop or two of impatience.
The result of their actions affected generation upon generation to come.
It always does.
Elder Daughter's baby boy Moab ("through our father") became the father of the Moabites, who were later responsible for the most carnal seduction in Israel's history (Num. 25).
Younger Daughter's baby boy Ben-Ammi ("Son of My Kin") became the father of the Ammonites, who were responsible for human sacrifice to Molech (Lev. 18:21).
I was encouraged by their story to not let my vision be clouded with fear .... to not let the dream God's given me get mucked up by fear or impatience or selfishness or doubt.
My heart for the women of City Church is to respond to situations in life that come along with strong amounts of faith! That we would not allow our vision to be splattered or our dreams to be poked at.
God is faithful! He is true to His Word! He made each one of us - with a unique purpose that nothing or no one can take away ... as we keep our eyes on His greatness and our heart in His capable hands.
1 comment:
Wonderful truth you have shared, Heather. I cannot, and don't think I want to, count the number of times in my "fix-it-myself" thought process I have kept God from walking in His role as my father!
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