Are you ready?
Even though it is the spring of a new year, I sense far too many of God’s people are feeling dead or far less than complete. Plans or dreams you once had have seemed to fade into the past. You may even be feeling blasé in your spiritual relationships. You are bothered with what may be described as spiritual barrenness. God asks, “Are you ready? You need to have a sense of expectancy.”
I hear you replying, “Ready for what?” Are you ready for what God has planned for you? Are you prepared for the great work about to be set before you? Examine the barrenness you have been carrying around. Have you considered it may be apart of God’s plan. God is preparing his people. He asks if you are ready. He reminds us that we must be expectant if we are to deliver what he has set for us.
Barrenness is not new. In fact it is a frequent topic within the Bible. Consider the biblical characters that were besieged with physical and spiritual barrenness. At the point of their description they were desperate, but follow their individual stories of delivery.
Genesis 11:30 says, But Sarai was barren; she had no child. Genesis 35:44, When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. Judges 13:2
So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked for him from the LORD. ' 1 Samuel 1:20 (NKJV)
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. Luke 1:7
Do not be discouraged, but be expectant and hopeful for what God is doing. You need to have a sense of expectancy. God wants you ready. These women were described as being barren, yet God had not forgotten their prayers. It was his timing, for He had shut their wombs, so they might be opened at the proper point in time for his ways to be performed.
Sarai had her name charged to Sarah. She was to become a princess, the mother of many nations. Rachel would have sons. The sons of Rachel were Joseph (he increases) and Benjamin. They would go on to become “he increases” and Son of the right hand. They were integral parts of Gods plan for the Hebrew tribes becoming a mighty nation.
Samuel was born to Hannah. He was to become a great leader in a time of great national transition. He was the only character to serve God as prophet, priest and national leader. Not a word he spoke fell to the ground.
And finally we come to Elizabeth. She gave birth to John, whom Jesus declared in Mathew 11:11, "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (NKJV)
I hear you replying, “Ready for what?” Are you ready for what God has planned for you? Are you prepared for the great work about to be set before you? Examine the barrenness you have been carrying around. Have you considered it may be apart of God’s plan. God is preparing his people. He asks if you are ready. He reminds us that we must be expectant if we are to deliver what he has set for us.
Barrenness is not new. In fact it is a frequent topic within the Bible. Consider the biblical characters that were besieged with physical and spiritual barrenness. At the point of their description they were desperate, but follow their individual stories of delivery.
Genesis 11:30 says, But Sarai was barren; she had no child. Genesis 35:44, When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.
Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. Judges 13:2
So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, "Because I have asked for him from the LORD. ' 1 Samuel 1:20 (NKJV)
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. Luke 1:7
Do not be discouraged, but be expectant and hopeful for what God is doing. You need to have a sense of expectancy. God wants you ready. These women were described as being barren, yet God had not forgotten their prayers. It was his timing, for He had shut their wombs, so they might be opened at the proper point in time for his ways to be performed.
Sarai had her name charged to Sarah. She was to become a princess, the mother of many nations. Rachel would have sons. The sons of Rachel were Joseph (he increases) and Benjamin. They would go on to become “he increases” and Son of the right hand. They were integral parts of Gods plan for the Hebrew tribes becoming a mighty nation.
Samuel was born to Hannah. He was to become a great leader in a time of great national transition. He was the only character to serve God as prophet, priest and national leader. Not a word he spoke fell to the ground.
And finally we come to Elizabeth. She gave birth to John, whom Jesus declared in Mathew 11:11, "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (NKJV)
God had not forgotten these women, nor has he forgotten you. God has plans for you. The barrenness you now have will soon become a great delivery. You are in a birthing process, one that has dreams he’s planed within you and spiritual children. Do not be discouraged. Do not give up. For our father God says, “Are you ready? You need to have a sense of expectancy.”
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