The Power of "THEN"

Perhaps I'm alone here, but I've been guilty of asking for things without the desire of giving anything in return. At times, I'm so focused on the need (or want) in front of me that I'm blinded to anything or anyone else around me. Admittedly, this is equally true in my relationship with God. I get so consumed with the things weighing on my mind and heart, that I find myself in a posture of asking; no...begging for God to change my circumstances. My mind becomes consumed with not knowing what to do next. I'm so eager to have what I'm asking for from the Lord, that I have a hard time waiting on his response. It's difficult to sit in the waiting periods of life. It can feel isolating and overwhelming.

Women Have a Place with God

One of my favorite things about God's word, are the examples he left us of his engagements with women. In the days the scripture was written, and still to this day in certain cultures, women are regarded as second class citizens. Many cultures do not place much value on women, but rather regard them as a tool to produce male heirs for their lineage. But, God provides us with several examples where he had important interactions with women and remembered their hearts as well. In Genesis chapter 30, we read the account of Jacob and his wives as they build their family. Leah was the less-loved wife of Jacob, but she was firtile and conceived many sons. This brought honor to her lineage, from a cultural perspective. While Rachel, though highly favored by her husband Jacob, was barren. Rachel was desperate to have children of her own. I often think of women that I know that have stuggled to have children. In this sense, I was more like Leah. My body was created to bear children and I didn't have to struggle to become pregnant. I had friends, however, that desperately wanted nothing more than to conceive and have even just one child. That desperation is real. It's a heart cry from the deepest part of a womans soul. Many of my readers have felt that deep hurt and can relate to Rachel's plea.

Something amazing happens in Genesis 30: 22-24...

"Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. 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."

There is an obvious blessing here. God granted her request and allowed her to concieve. That is truly a miracle, but look closer.

1. Then

2. God remembered

God Remembered

I want to take these two very important findings and unwrap them a bit. "God remembered Rachel". What does that mean? When I remember something is gives a connotation that I had forgotten something. Did God forget Rachel before he remembered her? Certainly not. The word translated into english as "remembered" is the Hebrew word "zakar". This word is a verb. This indicates that it's an active word. The word zakar means to think on with kindness, grant requests, protect or deliver with an accusative tone. In short, it's a very personal way of engaging with someone. Think of it in these terms. If you place the emphasis on different words of a sentence, the thought can take on a different meaning. If you state, "God REMEMBERED Rachel", it denotes that Rachel is the subject of what was being remembered. If you state "GOD remembered Rachel", it takes on a whole different level of engagement. It removes Rachel as the key subject of this phrase and denotes that GOD, Jehovah, King of the Universe, creator of the world, took time to personally care for Rachel.

Now, take the sentence as orginally intended..."GOD zakar Rachel." GOD, Jehovah, King of the Universe, creator of the world, thought with kindness, and personally granted her request. I don't know about you, but this brings me great joy! Yes, the miracle of meeting the desire to have a child is enough. It's blessing beyond our deservedness. But to understand that our God cares about us individually, personally is something no other faith can proclaim. He remembers us!

Rachel's "THEN"

"Then" is a very small, sometimes lost, yet highly powerful word. Then indicates that there was something...THEN...something happens as causation. In context of Genesis 30:22, it starts, "Then, God remembered Rachel". So what came before that would cause God to act? In Genesis 29, we read the account of how Jacob came to have both Leah and Rachel as wives. It's worth a read, but we won't spend much time on it here. In short, Jacob was duped. Leah is the older sister of Rachel and their father pulled some trickery that caused Jacob to work for 14 years to ultimately get the bride he wanted, Rachel. In this quest, he was given Leah as his wife and the text makes it quite clear that she was not what Jacob wanted. We read in Genesis 29 that Leah knew she was "hated" by her husband and therefore God opened her womb to bless her. Can you imagine what it must feel like to know that your husband hates you, and loves your sister? Leah bore many children while her sister, Rachel, was barren. In Leah's pain, she was quite unkind to her sister and gloated about her ability to have children while Rachel could not. Both women bore pain. Both women had their own crosses to bear, and both women made poor decisions from a place of pain. Yet, GOD remembered them both. The place of pain is the predecessor to the THEN in this story.

Please don't miss this. As failable humans, we have a nature of sin. This means that we don't always see things through the proper lens. Our vision is often clouded by our own pain. When we attempt to handle life apart from God, and in our own strength, we can be driven to action by what we perceive versus what is. What we can learn from this story is that our GOD is moved by our pain and suffering. Our pain can be the THEN that causes our very personal God to look our way and respond. He loves us. He hurts for us when we are in pain. And He wants us to call out to him and lean on him in our times of struggle.

Our Calling to "THEN"

It's easy to understand and sympathize with both Leah and Rachel in their pain. I can also say it's easy for me to understand the way they chose to lash out at each other out of their painful circumstances. I'd love to say I've never done that, but we all know I'd be lying. While God proved through this story how much he cares for us, he also gave us a path on how to handle our life until our "THEN" comes. In our pain, he gave us guidance so that we can be wthout sin and withstand our circumstances until he remembers us.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, then he shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6

I completed a deep dive into this passage of scripture to truly understand what it means. I encourage you to read that study. You can access it here. This study lead me to rewrite this verse in words that more accruately express what this verse is trying to convey. Here is what I wrote...

"Rely on, with absolute confidence that He's got you, in the one true and personal King of Kings, with your mind and your will. Don't attempt to support yourself with what your understanding of things is. Throughout and in every step of your journey...all things, DRIVE to know him deeper. If you do..THEN...It's HIS job to (He will) make straight and smooth and clear the way you are going."

We are called to rely on him with absolute confidence. We are called to not act out of our place of pain. We are called to drive further into him. And his promise is that if we do these things, he WILL make our path straight and smooth. This is the secret to our success in this life. This does not mean we won't experience pain or persecution. But, this does mean that we will be inside his will for us. Don't get me wrong. In our own fallen nature, this is really hard to do. And he knows we will fail at times. In our own strength, we cannot do this all the time. The calling is to cast aside ourselves and our natural inclinations. The calling is to go beyond ourselves and be intentional with our steps. Sometimes that means we have to slow down. When we feel overwhelmed. When we feel like lashing out at the world. When we feel consumed. We must stop. Before we act, have intention and do the things we don't feel like doing. Practice. Intentionally say out loud or within ourselves, "God I'm trusting you. God, I know with utmost confidence that YOU ARE. God, I believe your word that tells me if I, THEN YOU WILL, so I will." Make the decion at that moment to say a small prayer and ask for your then. Or put on worship music and sing. Or do a study on a passage of scripture. Whatever your way of DRIVING deeper with him is, make the intentional effort to do it. Even when it's hard, do it because the God of the Universe, Jehovah, Creator of the World promised YOU and proved that he is moved by your action.

Closing Prayer

Abba, thank you for your revelation by your Spirit. Thank you for not leaving us to our own devices and for providing us the scripture. We are able to learn of your character and how you want us to draw closer to you. What an amazing gift that we are so undeserving of, yet so grateful for. Abba, I ask you for your grace today for those who have read this message. I pray that you will be with them through their painful moments. Draw close to them and do not delay your THEN for their lives. Hear us and be moved by our pain and be glorified as we intentionally drive to know you deeper through our wounds. We love you and we commit our pain and actions out of our pain to you. You are my THEN, Abba. There is nothing but you and we want to be your light in this world. I love you with my whole heart. Thank you for being here in my pain and ensuring that I am never alone. Amen.