What joy God gave Sarah and Abraham in their old age. After a life of waiting, a life of pilgrimage (that wasn't done yet), God gave them a great joy - a son. This was nothing short of a miraculous gift of God. Their bodies were as good as dead, the apostle writes, yet God gave life in those bodies that were as good as dead.
Reminds me of Ecclesiastes 9: 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Life is a struggle. Sins curse makes work toil, the sweat if the brow. Sins curse troubles relationships wherever we turn. Sins curse makes our life a steady march to the grave. Life then becomes pointless. So, I can learn from Sarah to laugh in thanks to God for the gifts of Ruth and our children, truly amazing gifts of God.
Lord, help me to laugh in thanks to you for your grace to me in my family. They are an amazing and gracious gift to me from you. Thank you for this grace. Fill me with joy in this grace today and don't let me get bogged down with the other struggles that sin brings. Let me laugh and play and enjoy the gifts that they are to me. Thank you especially for the faith that you've planted in them. That is your greatest gift it them and to me. I pray you then, defend this house, our family, from the attacks of the evil one that nothing would cause them to stumble and trip up, so that they lose their faith. Nothing would bring me more sadness. Keep them in the faith! Thank you for hearing me Father and for walking with me today in all that I think, say, and do.
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