Handmaidens - Christian Issues

Handmaidens

Christian Issues

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Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he got married? A. Ruth-less. Q. Who was the first drug addict in the Bible? A. Nebuchadnezzar: he was on grass for seven years. Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible? A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. Honda... because the apostles were all in one Accord. 2 Cor. 4:8 describes going out in service in a Volkswagen Beetle: "We are pressed in every way, but not cramped beyond movement." Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible? A. Samson: he brought the house down.

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When God Answers
By staff writer, Teri Underwood

It's happened to all of us ~ we pray and pray and pray and seek God's leadership and still the answer is "no" or "wait." We use scriptures like Psalm 37:4 which affirm that God wants to give us the desires of our heats. We fast, we praise, we are faithful and we wait.

And then, in that amazing timing of God, our faithful prayer is answered. Then what? What do we do when God answers our most earnest prayers?

There are probably as many answers to that question as there are readers of this article. I'm afraid, though, that many of our honest answers would include these:

*We act surprised.
*We give credit to medicine, technology, our own wit and intelligence, hard work, etc.
*We accept without thought.

None of these nor the hundreds of other possible responses is acceptable, save one. We must accept God's answers to our prayers with recognition of His love and thankfulness for His mercy.

Hannah's heart was broken with desire for a child. She wept and prayed so that Eli believed she was drunk. And yet when she shared with the priest her earnest desire to have a child and her willingness to give that baby back into the Lord's service, Eli saw her geniune love for the Lord. Hannah's response to God's gift to her of Samuel is found in 1 Samuel 1:27. She thanked God for hearing her prayers. The verses following that are a beautiful expression of her love for her God.

And what about Simeon and Anna who lived their entire lives praying that they might see the Messiah? These faithful servants of God prayed daily for years for the blessing of seeing His answer to Israel's sin. And when they were in their 80s or 90s that prayer was answered. Luke 2:25-38 shares the account of their response of thanksgiving to God for granting them their petitions.

So many people, even church people, live under the impression that God no longer works in the lives of His people. Too many of us have become insensitive to the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives and to the movement of God all around us. Because of our faith in technology, medicine, science, self and hundreds of other ideas and people, we miss the working of the Lord in our lives.

Many miracles are often misidentified as rewards or earnings and in doing so, many blessings are missed.

Just a few months ago, I shared my sweet husband's and my struggle with infertility. We have been trying to have a baby for almost three years and in that time have been told by more than one doctor/specialist that it would simply not happen for us without technology's intervention. On May 28, 1999, the fifth doctor confirmed that diagnosis. We had ruled out technological intervention believing that our limited resources would be better applied to adoption fees and had begun pursuing that option. But in all that time we never stopped seeking God's intervention. On July 7, 1999, a positive home pregnancy test was confirmed by my OB/GYN and on February 20, 2000, we are expecting what can only be described as a miracle from God.

Do I share this to say that we are always perfect or that I always remember to give God glory and thanks for His blessings to me? Absolutely not! I'm just like everyone else, self-centered, impatient and all-too-human. But every day since July I have been in awe of God's grace and love for this struggling saint. God answered our prayer for a baby; and while this child is a medical miracle, the miracle to me is that God gave such a special gift to such an undeserving couple.

I pray that each one of you will begin to see with eyes that are open to His miracles and that in those miracles both large and small you will develop a new love for Christ and a new resolve to give Him the thanks He deserves.

Dear Loving Father,
Thank you for the miracles you give each of us daily
And thank you for blessing us even when we fail to recognize You and Your work in our lives.
Give us a desire to see Your work and recognize Your miracles
And thank you most of all for loving us always.
In Jesus' beautiful and precious name,
Amen.

We need articles, poetry and other original submissions
of interest to women, especially Christian women.

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