Mother’s day Special

We have much privilege to be mothers and women. The Lord has also said in the Bible,” As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you”.  Isaiah 66:13 The Bible has expressed about many women in Proverbs like kindhearted woman, adulterous woman, beautiful woman without discretion, excellent wife, folly woman, quarrelsome and fretful woman, wise woman etc. The verses from Ecclesiastes 7: 28,29 say, “while I was still searching but not finding—found one upright man among a thousand, but not one upright woman among them all. This only have I found: God created mankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes.” What a sad ratio, could not find even one woman among thousand!
Let’s analyze our life now today with some of the women’s weak points from the Bible..

1. The lust of the eyes:
     God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat only the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil when they eat from it they will certainly die. But the serpent said to the woman that they will not certainly die instead they will be like God, knowing good and evil. Finally Eve saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. (Genesis 3:6)
Are we yielding our way to God’s word or still pleasing of the world? I John 2:15, 16

2. Blaming without self-realization:
     Sarai herself urged her husband Abram to take her slave Hagar in order to build a family through her. But when Hagar despised her, Sarai was saying to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” Genesis 16:5
Are we blaming our mistakes on husbands / others without self-realizing ourselves?

3. Despising in our highness:
     Sarai gave her slave Hagar to Abram to build a family through her. But when Hagar was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress Sarai.'...but in humility consider others better than yourselves.' Philippians 2:3
Do we forget the benefits received from any person (friends, family members, etc.)? Are we showing our faithfulness? Have we despised anybody keeping us in a higher level?

4. Taking advantage over other’s ignorance/weakness:
     Isaac and Rebecca married and lived together. Isaac wanted to bless Esau. Rebecca wanted B
blessings for her younger son, Jacob. She did not approach her husband directly to solve her wish instead she disguised Jacob as Esau in order to steal the blessings as Isaac was old having no vision in his eyes.
Let us submit ourselves truthfully to our husbands even in their times of fret and discouragement. Encourage, pray and be close and show God's love to them. Also Let us not misuse other’s ignorance.'Bear with each other...' Colossians 3:13

5.Source of grief:
     Esau’s wife Judith and Basemath  were a source of grief to their in-laws Isaac and Rebekah.
How do our life impact our family/others? Is it a source of grief and sorrows or joyfulness and comfort? '...forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.' Colossians 3:13

6. Unwillingness to give up the old carnal desires.
     Jacob had desire to obey the Lord’s word. But Rachel took some of the her father's household gods while she left her father’s place. As she had desire on those gods, she hid them under her camel’s saddle and insisted to tell a lie to her father.
Are we serving our Lord whole heartedly otherwise we might get into any tricks that lead us to sin?

7. Improper way of communication :
     Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this (Numbers 12:1,2) and the result  Miriam became  leprous,like snow.
It is better is to express our point directly without deviation rather than trying to describe it in a round about way.It leads to communication gap and sin.
Also we have to be very cautious to point others mistake especially on God’s children.

8. Nagging:
     Samson loved Delilah. But Delilah accepted to help the rulers of Philistines to betray Samson's secret of his strength, for money. Judges 16:6 ‘ With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it. So he told everything’
Also in 1 Samuel , Penninah,Hannah’s rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.
Let us bring peace in our family life/other’s life instead of nagging and irritating others  in word and deed.

9. Teasing with despise:
     Michal, wife of King David saw him leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. Also she teased him by saying, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” She was not able to accept his humble celebration before the Lord.
Are we worshipping the Lord with humbleness?
Have we  teased or made fun of the way other’s worship on any day?

10. Bad intermediator:
     In 1 Kings 21, Naboth did not give King his vineyard which was the inheritance of his father's which was near to the palace even when the King was ready to pay money. On seeing Ahab’s worries, Jezebel his wife wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed it with his seal , “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. And set two worthless men bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” Thus killed an innocent man to please her husband.Let our actions be pure and true. Let us guard our tongue not to express any unwanted negative information about any person.'Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up...' Ephesians 4:29

11. Discouragement:
     Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”
She did not support him in his faith instead hurt with her words.
Let us be supportive and encouraging  to our partners/ those in need so that they can stand firm upon God with out fear. 'Encourage one another and build each other up.' 1 Thes 5:11

12. Destructive counsel:
     Haman  had riches, sons, promotions honored by the king. Even then He was worrying about Mordecai who did not tremble with him. While He shared these with his friends and his wife Zeresh, they gave destructive idea of hanging Mordecai on a gallows. It so happened that Haman was hanged in the same gallows which was made for his enemy. 
Many of us are also worrying about what we do not have rather than thanking God for His goodness.
Are we giving constructive counsel to others with prayer?
'Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.'
1 Thessalonians 5:15  'Live in peace with each other.' 1 Thessalonians 5:13           
             
     In order to prevent us from these weak points, we have to allow  Jesus Christ to enter into our hearts who will lead, guide and help us to live a life for the glory of the Lord through the Holy Spirit.Let us hide His Word in our hearts so that we can live for Him.
'I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.' Psalm 119:11

Shared by Sis.Bella Jaya kumar
Date 05/08/2014