June 12, 2019
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today, is from the book of Genesis 30:22, “And then God Remembered Rachel And listened to her and Opened her womb.”
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, from the above context we understand that our God hearkens to the cry of his children and answers their request. Here in the above passage we see the anxiety of Rachel. Her sister Leah had given birth to children while she had been barren for nearly twenty six years. Rachel’s barrenness had not continued so long as either Sarah’s or Rebecca’s . Her long barrenness had probably humbled and disciplined her and cured of her former petulance.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, “ Love apples” are about the size of a nutmeg with a strong and agreeable odours and were used by the ancients as a means of promoting child bearing. Leah was Rachel’s elder sister. Leah’s son Ruben one day found in the field and brought to his mother the “’yellow apples” a mandrake very common in Palestine. With the hope of begetting a child through mandrake she requested Leah for some mandrakes. But even though she had taken mandrakes Rachel continued to be barren. Actually “God Remembered Rachel” in the best time for her, after He had taught her the lessons of dependence and patience. The selfish feeling of Rachel also died away, and the thankful Rachel rises from Elohim (The Lord Of Israel ) to Yahweh(I AM) Then God remembered Rachel and God listened to her and opened her womb.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, Rachel conceived and bare a son and said, “ God hath taken away my reproach. She revealed her gratitude for the reproach of barrenness taken away. ” The birth of Joseph was after the completion of fourteen years of service of Jacob. A change came upon Rachel’s mind. It was an outcome of the higher spiritual life of Rachel who had emancipated from all such merely human devices as resorting to mandrakes. And was able to recognize her complete dependence for offspring on the sovereign grace of the covenant God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, Some of you must be eagerly waiting for the gift of a child. But due to some reasons there is a delay in getting a child. So you are disappointed and depressed, you seem to be broken in heart. You have lost all hope, then on whom do you place your faith? Are you running after medical doctors, magicians and looking into horoscope instead of looking at Jesus (Yahweh) May the Lord help you to be like Rachel who after many years of testing learnt to look up to Yahweh. Rachel cried out to God Almighty and then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb. God will open your womb too if you are willing to trust Him and cry out to Him. He grants the barren woman a home. Like a joyful mother of Children. God bless you.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord we thank you for revealing to us about the anxiety and agony of Rachel who turned to God because of her barrenness. Help us to have faith in Yahweh and cry out to Him when we are in distress. Hear our cry, listen to our prayers and answer us speedily that we may glorify Your name.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
