1. Genesis 25:19-22 - WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME? (Persistent Prayer when I don't understand)
The pain comes gradually over a three week period and crescendoes on Wednesday.
I need to stay focused in order to counsel a grieving family as we talk about the funeral, so I put the pain aside until 2.30pm when I get in my car, drive home and go to bed for the rest of the afternoon. The next day I see a trainee doctor who tells me that it is all a mystery and suggests a pain killer. The pain doesn't go away. Will I be able to get up to speak at the funeral?
The next morning I feel completely pain free for the entire time I speak. God's grace. The power of prayer! I am so grateful. But just as I walk out the door the pain begins again. More pain, another doctor, an Ultrasound, a CT scan, hospital for 3 days. Lord, why is this happening to me?
It seems that over the first 20 year period of their married life God wanted to teach both Isaac and Rebekah about being PERSISTENT IN PRAYER. They knew that Abraham, Isaac's dad, had trouble having children until they were quite old and now they were faced with the same problem. All they could do was learn the principles of PRAYING WITHOUT CEASING (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
With Abraham's example, GIVING UP was not an option for Isaac and Rebekah. Matthew 7:7 (NLT) encourages us to “KEEP ON asking, and you will receive what you ask for. KEEP ON seeking, and you will find. KEEP ON knocking, and the door will be opened to you."
The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man makes a difference (James 5:16) and after 20 years, the Lord answers Isaac's prayer and Rebekah becomes pregnant with twins (Genesis 25:21). After 20 years!
At what point along the way am I going to give up and take the position that God is not going to answer? What is the point that I resign myself to thinking that He isn't going to fulfil what He has promised in His Word? Will I stop praying after a week? A month? 6 months? A year? 5 years maybe? 10 years is a long time. 20 years seems forever! Will I stop a day before I receive God's answer? An hour? A minute too soon? Am I going to do the same thing that Abraham did and try to help God along a little with His promises? Find an answer for myself? My way?
Even when God has already promised to meet my needs, somehow the Lord wants to make me acutely aware that prayer RELEASES what God has promised. Prayer focuses our reliance upon the grace of God and the TIMING is up to Him.
But the prayer journey takes a new twist. It seems even when she has her prayers answered concerning one major area in Rebekah's life that the story of STRUGGLE doesn't end there. Rebekah is pregnant after 20 years but she is obviously having a tough time during her pregnancy and because she is a believer like her husband she also goes to the Lord for help. She cries out to God “Why is this happening to me?” Ever cried out to God like that? I know how she feels. Not that I will ever be pregnant, but it seems that in my experience giving birth to anything that God wants for your life involves a STRUGGLE IN PRAYER.
Jesus knows what it is like to struggle in prayer. In the garden of Gethsemane He prays “Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.” ... He prayed more fervently, and He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood" (Luke 22:42-44 NLT). Lord, why is this happening to Me? The Father's will is done but it involves a tremendous struggle. Jesus bears our sin.
The invitation that Rebekah and Isaac and Jesus Himself gives to us comes by way of a question. Are you willing to struggle with prayer for the purposes of God in your life? At what point will you give up the struggle? Am I willing to trust in Him when all I feel at present is the pain? ...
2. Genesis 25:21-23 - CAN OF WORMS! (Trusting in Christ to sort out the mess)
Some of the questions addressed in the TV show called "CAN OF WORMS" are "Is porn a normal, healthy part of adult life?" 52% of Austalians said "No!" "Is marriage necessary anymore?" 78% of Australians said "Yes!" and 68% said that gay people also have a right to marry.
Three guests, a studio audience and people from all over the world find out what Australia really thinks, especially controversial subjects such as political correctness and personal values. "Do Australians swear too much? Is the burqa out of place in Australia? Is it OK to spy on your kids online?" Each question is designed to open up a CAN OF WORMS. No absolute values. No right or wrong answers.
To open a can of worms means "to inadvertently create a host of new problems while trying to solve one." The idea is that once you open a can of worms it is impossible to stop them from trying to escape.
Way back in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve sinned they OPENED A CAN OF WORMS. Their actions released a host of IRREVERSIBLE PROBLEMS and COMPLICATIONS into the world that only God could resolve. As long as the "can" remained sealed through obedience to God, there was no harm, but once it was opened it set off a chain reaction of events with totally unexpected and complex consequences that irrevocably changed our world. It's called SIN.
For 20 years Isaac and Rebekah have prayed for children and the Lord answers their prayers (Genesis 25:21). But in a sinful world, it seems that prayer always stirs things up spiritually.
Rebekah has an abnormally tough pregnancy. She prays "Why is this happening to me?" The Lord answers Rebekah directly somehow. Does she get a prophetic word from an angel? Does her answer come through a dream or a sign? Does God show up personally like He did with Abraham? Here is where I would like to know the details, but somehow God is more interested in telling me WHAT He said rather than HOW He said it. Is it just me that gets so interested in the MIRACULOUS that I miss the MESSAGE? Lord, help me focus on what is RELEVANT, not just on what is REMARKABLE.
The Lord tells her she is having twins, but reveals to her some rather unexpected twists that will take place in their lives. Something spiritually will be stirred up by the birth of these sons. The trouble Rebekah is experiencing is used as a picture of things to come.
"They will be RIVALS! One will be STRONGER! The older will SERVE THE YOUNGER!" (Genesis 25:23). This is all upside down and inside out and it only COMPLICATES things! It's not POLITICALLY CORRECT! It messes with the CULTURE of the time. For this to happen the inheritance and blessing from Isaac will have to come to the youngest son and not the oldest. This is NOT DONE! When God answers prayer in a sinful world it can stir up a CAN OF WORMS.
Does Rebekah mention this Word from the Lord to Isaac? Is she going to try to manipulate things to help God along with this promise?
Will I try to adjust the plans of God in my life? Prayer releases the promises of God, but am I really willing for God to answer the deepest prayers of my life when I don't know WHERE IT WILL LEAD? Who knows what could happen? UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES that only He can foresee, IRREVOCABLE PROBLEMS and COMPLICATIONS that only He can resolve? A MINE FIELD to navigate where only He can lead?
Just because God answers my prayers doesn't mean I won't experience difficulties or that I won't feel out of my depth. Everytime I pray, something in the spiritual atmosphere of this world is STIRRED UP as God intervenes to deal with the CAN OF WORMS created by our sin.
The believing line of descendents from Abraham carry the promises of the Covenant. The Messiah Jesus will come from this line, and in fulfilling this promise the world will be IRREVOCABLY CHANGED. A battle begins, and is waged in the hearts of men to this very day.
Romans 8:28 (NLT) assures me "that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them." When prayer stirs up a can of worms, I am unable to deal with it, BUT GOD CAN. He can sort out the mess.
Somehow only the Lord Jesus Christ can deal with the consequences of my sin, no matter how complicated, twisted and out of control things have become. It may mean He does things a little differently to our expectations and it may cut across our cultural norms and look totally upside down to us, but He knows what He is doing. He is the only WAY, TRUTH AND LIFE (John 14:6). The invitation is always to TRUST in Him.
Pastor Ross
