I've been going back over the beginning of the Bible again, but this time I'm taking it more slowly so I can take notes. Today I saw a few things that I felt compelled to share.
Looking at Abraham's family, the first three generations are fascinating! Abram was 75 when God called him out from his family with the promise of blessing upon blessing..but the biggest desire and blessing Abram wanted was a son to carry on his line. He was 75..he didn't receive the blessing of his son until he was 100 years old. He waited 25 years. Have you had to wait for 25 years for something like this?
Abraham's son was 40 when he married Rebekah but the Bible says Rebekah was barren. Isaac prayed for God to open her womb...20 years later, Rebekah had Jacob and Esau. They waited 20 long years.
Next it was Jacob and Rachel..Rachel was stuck in a situation that was all up in her face. God saw that Leah was unloved and He blessed her with children, but Rachel who had the love and favor of her husband was barren. That seems a little harsh doesn't it? But it says that after Leah bore 7 children God remember Rachel and gave her a son. Based on what I can read, I'd estimate that Rachel had to wait around 10 years.
They each waited decades. Can you fathom waiting for decades? God was still in them during this wait....during the years upon years of waiting, God was still there. He was still blessing them. He was teaching them, and giving them more experiences.
But there was something else I noticed. As each woman in each generation lost patience, they pressured the men in their life to do something dishonoring to God. Sarah convinced Abram to sleep with her servant to try to make God's promise come true. Rebekah persuaded her son, Jacob, to deceive his father to get the blessing that God promised his mother. And then Rachel followed in Sarah's footsteps and gave Jacob her servant to bare children in her place. Each of these decisions caused chaos within the family. God is not the author of chaos. This is not what He planned.. this is not the order that He intended for our lives.
Have you found yourself in a season of waiting? I am in the hardest waiting season I've ever been in as we are waiting for a baby through adoption. Reading this passage this morning just helped me remember that it is absolutely vital for me to remain focused on God. I do not want to look back on this season and see that I got so impatient that I influenced my husband to make decisions that were not in line with God's plan for us. I want to look back on this time and see how God has helped me grow into the woman He created me to be.
