Blessings from the unlikely sources.
Romans 8:32 NIV
Genesis 17:15-22
You ever have one of times in your life where you feel like everything you touch falls apart? Lately, God has been reminding me, gently I'll admit, that HE ALONE is my provider. Not that I didn't know it, in my head, but I didn't really have a gut-check level understanding of just how much I NEED to rely on him.
You may be thinking "reliance on God is nothing new, but there are so many resources out there that God may be reminding you of." But this year has been kind of a roller coaster. First, last September we found out that we miscarried our first baby. Then, out of the blue, we are blessed with another, due date is Oct. 13th. We finally pay my car off, but seem like we are more strapped now, financially, than ever! Our grocery costs are going up, gas is going up, we had house guests for the first half of summer! I have needed repairs on my in-ear monitors for months, and still haven't had enough money to pay for them. We opted to reduce the amounts we are paying for other things, and we have still had too many things that needed money! It's times like these where the devil tries to worm his way into the mix and make me feel like scum! "You can't afford to let your wife be a stay at home mom, see how little you make? see how strapped you would be?"
Those are the things he CONSTANTLY tries to get me to listen to. Sometimes, I just ignore it, but then there are times where I just feel super overwhelmed and believe it or not, want to cry. One more thing just tips the balance! Today, I find out that my school costs when up AGAIN! So instead of just having to pay $54/quarter extra (above what the loan will cover), now we have to pay $164. I have 4 quarters until I get my degree so its crazy expensive!
I have two choices, I can get upset (my default, unfortunately) or like Abraham, I can allow God to dictate the terms!
As we see in Genesis, God says to him "Stop calling her Sarai, and call her Sarah"
Now that name change makes me wonder what the difference is.. It is a tense change too in the meaning. Sarai means "My princess" and Sarah means "Princess of nations."
Selah.
Why would God tell Abraham to change his wife's name from "My princess" to "Princess of nations?" Firstly, it gets the focus off of Abraham and Sarah and puts it back on God. By saying "princess of nations" it removes the personal possessive pronoun "my" from her name.
Whenever we remove ourselves from our troubles, and allow God to take over, we don't realize it, but God decides to work in the most unlikely ways.
After this, God renews the promise to Abraham. "I'll give you a son by her! Oh, how I'll bless her! Nations will come from her; kings of nations will come from her."
17 Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, "Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?" (vv. 16-17).
Sarah was barren, but then conceives and has Isaac! Would you agree that a ninety year old woman having a baby is unlikely?
So today, I urge you to remember that God wants to work. As we see in the verse in Romans "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
God wants to use the ninety year old woman in our lives to make us fruitful! No matter what you are going through, pull a name change today! Remove the personal possessive pronoun from your situation! Its not your problem anymore! Give it to God and see what happens!
Malachi 3:10
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
Genesis 17:15-22
15-16 God continued speaking to Abraham, "And Sarai your wife: Don't call her Sarai any longer; call her Sarah. I'll bless her—yes! I'll give you a son by her! Oh, how I'll bless her! Nations will come from her; kings of nations will come from her."
17 Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, "Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?"
18 Recovering, Abraham said to God, "Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!"
19 But God said, "That's not what I mean. Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son. Name him Isaac (Laughter). I'll establish my covenant with him and his descendants, a covenant that lasts forever.
20-21 "And Ishmael? Yes, I heard your prayer for him. I'll also bless him; I'll make sure he has plenty of children—a huge family. He'll father twelve princes; I'll make him a great nation. But I'll establish my covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will give you about this time next year."
22 God finished speaking with Abraham and left.
You ever have one of times in your life where you feel like everything you touch falls apart? Lately, God has been reminding me, gently I'll admit, that HE ALONE is my provider. Not that I didn't know it, in my head, but I didn't really have a gut-check level understanding of just how much I NEED to rely on him.
You may be thinking "reliance on God is nothing new, but there are so many resources out there that God may be reminding you of." But this year has been kind of a roller coaster. First, last September we found out that we miscarried our first baby. Then, out of the blue, we are blessed with another, due date is Oct. 13th. We finally pay my car off, but seem like we are more strapped now, financially, than ever! Our grocery costs are going up, gas is going up, we had house guests for the first half of summer! I have needed repairs on my in-ear monitors for months, and still haven't had enough money to pay for them. We opted to reduce the amounts we are paying for other things, and we have still had too many things that needed money! It's times like these where the devil tries to worm his way into the mix and make me feel like scum! "You can't afford to let your wife be a stay at home mom, see how little you make? see how strapped you would be?"
Those are the things he CONSTANTLY tries to get me to listen to. Sometimes, I just ignore it, but then there are times where I just feel super overwhelmed and believe it or not, want to cry. One more thing just tips the balance! Today, I find out that my school costs when up AGAIN! So instead of just having to pay $54/quarter extra (above what the loan will cover), now we have to pay $164. I have 4 quarters until I get my degree so its crazy expensive!
I have two choices, I can get upset (my default, unfortunately) or like Abraham, I can allow God to dictate the terms!
As we see in Genesis, God says to him "Stop calling her Sarai, and call her Sarah"
Now that name change makes me wonder what the difference is.. It is a tense change too in the meaning. Sarai means "My princess" and Sarah means "Princess of nations."
Selah.
Why would God tell Abraham to change his wife's name from "My princess" to "Princess of nations?" Firstly, it gets the focus off of Abraham and Sarah and puts it back on God. By saying "princess of nations" it removes the personal possessive pronoun "my" from her name.
Whenever we remove ourselves from our troubles, and allow God to take over, we don't realize it, but God decides to work in the most unlikely ways.
After this, God renews the promise to Abraham. "I'll give you a son by her! Oh, how I'll bless her! Nations will come from her; kings of nations will come from her."
17 Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, "Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?" (vv. 16-17).
Sarah was barren, but then conceives and has Isaac! Would you agree that a ninety year old woman having a baby is unlikely?
So today, I urge you to remember that God wants to work. As we see in the verse in Romans "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
God wants to use the ninety year old woman in our lives to make us fruitful! No matter what you are going through, pull a name change today! Remove the personal possessive pronoun from your situation! Its not your problem anymore! Give it to God and see what happens!
Malachi 3:10
"Test me in this and see if I will not pour open the floodgates of heaven and pour out such a blessing you cannot contain it!"
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