Memory Stone: Campfire

Sometimes its good for the soul to visit a memory stone. I was thinking about this blog the other day and although I  haven't posted anything in years, I thought I'd revive it.  I'll be reading my blog and if I see something that I think is meaningful I'll tweak it a bit and post it again.  

Condensed & Tweaked from November 12, 2009

It's true that GOD ignited a doused fire pit. He did so with Elijah in 1 Kings 18:`16-46.  HE can do it again, today with us!  We first need to prepare our hearts for His fire. A lightening bolt might start a fire but the best fires provide a steady source of heat. I believe that the supernatural parallels of the natural world. Building a campfire in the natural world carries with it a deeper meaning. 

Location:  If we consider that a campfire pit is a place to gather family and friends, tell stories and enjoy one an other's company, eat and warm yourself, then the location of a fire needs to be in a safe place. It should be free of trees, brush, and tall grass. Are we separated enough from the world? Have we found that safe place? Are we really ready for the fire?

Gathering materials and setting stones: We would outline our chosen site with brick or stones to protect the fire. Protect a fire?  Yes, lest it burn uncontrollably and burn out too fast or be in a spot where it wouldn't burn at all.  Spiritually, have we gathered our blessings and promises from GOD?  Have we searched the Word of God? Have we found the foundational stones and prepared a space neither too large or too small? 


Dig a trench:  In the natural world if building a substantial campfire, we would dig a trench in the middle of the site to keep it from flickering through the rocks and becoming unmanageable. Do we go off flickering self-righteousness toward others and set other fires? It's sad but true that many times we can be quicker to condemn than to love.  We need to dig a trench in our hearts in order to contain sarcasm, poor attitudes, and unrealistic expectations concerning others.

Make it level:  After digging the trench, we would scrape the bottom and pour pea gravel into the pit to level it and smooth it out to help with drainage. Ouch! did you get that? Scrape the bottom of your heart? You have to get serious to do this spiritually. As we scrape away old offenses we free our hearts to love others and to be loved.  As long as old offenses are there (starting as early as childhood), we will not have a healthy fire. We must get rid of hardened scabs.  No one can do this for us,  we can only do this for ourselves. We prepare for proper drainage when the rains will come but instead of accumulating in a huge puddle the storm waters will slip right through the gravels. These rocks represent scripture promises that won't be washed away but will filter and allow the pain and sorrow to escape our campfire site.


Add sand:   This is interesting. We don't often think about anything becoming a problem underneath us, but the sand is to act as fire prevention so that fire can't spread to the roots under the pit. This is another case where we are so closely knitted to others that some of them may be damaged from the fire because they are so close to us. This is usually our immediate family and generally are the tender roots of children. We become impatient and cross to the point of harm. It's not the HOLY SPIRIT fire but a false fire that burns within us! We need to protect others from our false fire so that none will be destroyed by our lack of preparation. The sand represents the flow of protection that comes when we study scripture and truly begin to want the best for others. We don't want any harm to come to our loved ones. The grains of sand are many. These are scriptures where spiritual concepts are mastered.


Build the fire:   Last, we gather the kindling and wood and build the fire. We build the fire in the natural, but our prayers are the kindling and the wood so that the HOLY SPIRIT may light the fire in the supernatural. Let the fire burn within each of us. May it give off enough light that others desire it for themselves so that they may realize it is of GOD. May it give off enough heat that cold hearts would melt and be filled with the true love of our Savior. May we continue to pray and invite others to be warmed by the fire and immersed in the light. 


As a final note, the lining of the large stones, the mid sized stones and the grains of sand are all natural elements in the building of a campfire pit.  In the spiritual, all these natural elements represent scripture.  The different sizes of stone represent our level of study and commitment to understand. We may have remembered scripture and those would be the largest stones of faith that surround our fire. Faith is what holds it all in place.  
Prepare for the fire of the HOLY SPIRIT to ignite within you that you might be a light in the darkness...

Heavenly Father,  Teach us to prepare our lives in such a way that we are always ready, willing and able to carry the fire of your presence with us where ever we go.  Help us to remember to pray.  Give us faith and favor when we are weak and struggling that we may not hinder others from your love and power.  In Jesus name. Amen

Oh Father, I recongnize your holiness and great power. I know that you wrap me in your righteouness.  Your are my protector and teacher and you're my motivator and fire.  I can do nothing without you.  You are Almighty and nothing is impossible for you.  When you call me to yourself, I know that you will give me what I need to accomlish what you desire.

The heavens and earth declare your glory in the beauty that you have adorned them with and they also declare your power in the natural events that take place within and without them.

This night I pray for these things because it is only you who can grant them. I believe that you would have me ask for these things and I believe that they will be granted in your time and in your way.

I ask that you allow me to know how to love in a way that asks nothing in return.  I pray for  joy that remains with me, without negativity, which is different than fleeting happiness.  I pray for peace that engulfs me so that nothing can rock my being. 

I pray for patience that endures, even when I feel ill-treated.  I pray that I may learn restraint and not revenge at all times.  Teach me to show kindness from the inside out toward others in putting them before myself and not just because it is right but because it is in my heart to do so. 

I pray that I may show forth goodness of character with good conduct, even when no one is watching.  I pray for faithfulness that I may not wander away from my commitments.  I pray for gentleness, knowing that I have strength and power, but keeping it under control for your glory.  I pray for self-control so that I have mastery over myself and am not tempted to do anything that would harm others or myself. 

I know that all these things arrive in degrees.  These are some things you have already taught me and this I have learned.  As I know you will guide me through my path, I know that in the journey I will experience you teaching me these things.  I know that you will grant this spiritual fruit as I need them; never too soon but right on time. 

I thank you for hearing my prayer and granting my desires as you have promised that you would.  In Jesus' name, I pray.   Amen

Beshalach | בשלח | "When he sent "

 

Torah Portion : Exodus 13:17-17:16 
(My scripture reading came  from the NLT)

 

• The Lord is the Pillar of Cloud & the Pillar of Fire and goes with The Children of Israel at all times~   beginning Exodus 13:17

• The Egyptian Army pursues Israel, yet they miraculously cross the Red Sea and the pursuers are destroyed~   Exodus 14:1  

• The Children of Israel sing songs to the Lord for their safe rescue~  beginning Exodus 15:1

• Miriam Sings a New Song exalting the Lord God Almighty~   beginning  Exodus 15:20  

• Just three days later, The Children of Israel, not realizing & remembering the greatness of the Lord, complained against Moses in the wilderness because they had none but bitter water~   beginning Exodus 15:22

 

• God made the bitter waters sweet because Moses cried out  to him.  beginning Exodus 15:25

• Next, God lead them to a land of twelve wells and three-score & ten (70) palm trees~  beginning Exodus 15:27 

• God next lead the children of  Israel to a new place, but they murmured against Moses again.  The Lord heard them and spoke to Moses giving a message to obey.  This was a test to see if they would trust in the Lord because the murmuring was not against Moses but against God.  The Lord then gave them bread from heaven and meat~  beginning Exodus 16:1 

• Again the Children of Israel are found complaining to the point that Moses is frustrated with them, but God gave Moses a duty to perform in front of the Children again proving His care.  God told Moses to strike the rock and by His obedience, God provided water, even when the children with sarcasm asked "Is the Lord with us or not?"~   beginning Exodus: 17:1 

   

•  Finally, with the same rod that was used to provide the Children with water, God showed them that He was also their protector~  beginning Exodus 17:8

 

Bo | בוא | "Come "

Bo | בוא | "Come "  The fifteenth reading from the Torah is named Bo (בוא), which means “Come.” The title comes from the first words of the first verse of the reading, which say, “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘[Come] to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart” (Exodus 10:1). The portion begins by concluding the narrative of the ten plagues, the tenth of which is the slaying of the firstborn. To avoid the plague, the Israelites are given the instructions for the Passover sacrifice and the laws of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Pharaoh finally consents to let Israel go, and they leave Egypt.  (Taken from First Fruits of Zion)

My thoughts and study: It is interesting that my translation below changed the word from “come” to “go”.  This doesn’t greatly change things when you consider that God is and was and is yet to come!  Let us always keep this perspective because there is nothing that happens that He is not aware of and in control of even if we feel alone for He is with us always!

• Torah: Exodus 10:1-13:16

Exodus 10:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”

 

Now, I’ve seen this before and read it many times but this time was different.  My study actually stopped in the very first two sentences of this Portion selection for a moment and I had to look again.   

WHAT????  The Lord says that “he” had hardened Pharaoh’s heart.  (As I said, I’ve read this before but never really took the time to think about it much.)

My questions came rushing in.  Can that possibly be?  Why would God do such a thing as harden Pharaoh’s heart?  Well, when I read on I saw the answer immediately!   God wanted to show signs to all of them, to Jew and Gentile alike.  He wanted Moses to be able to tell his son and grandson how ‘the Lord God’ dealt with the Egyptians. 

But, why was there a need to show all these signs?  Reading again, it was for “Moses” most of all.  It was that Moses could finally grasp the knowledge that God was and is Lord of everything forever!  God is the “Great I AM”!!!  (If we go back to Exodus 3, we see where God first called Moses out of the burning bush!)

Had Moses doubted God before?  Do we really know?  I suspect that Moses was full of doubt just by reading about his behavior.  He ran away from Egypt rather than face the consequences of his actions of killing an Egyptian.  That alone must have caused doubt that God was anywhere with him.  He doesn’t trust God when he calls out to him from the burning bush.  Although scripture doesn’t say this exactly, it appears to me that Moses doesn’t want to go back to Egypt.  He most likely was full of fear of what could happen to him.  At this point he doesn’t trust God and take him at his word.   Moses doubts himself and his own ability.  He hasn’t yet placed himself in God’s hand, believing that God would not only deliver the Israelites but that God would also deliver him.  When Moses argues with God, he is worried that no one will listen to him or believe that he even talked to God.

Well, how does apply to me and to you?   The big question is how much do we trust God? 

Look at Moses.  He became fearful and ran away, but God knew where he was at all times.  Moses had to learn to be a simple man.  How many times did he question his actions of murder and wonder how he could have let all his wealth and heritage disappear in one moment of anger?  We are not told, but I’m sure we can all imagine.    Maybe we have never murdered anyone, but I’m sure most of us have regrets at times and think “if only I would have…” concerning our own life decisions.

Then out of the blue (or out of a burning bush) God reveals himself to us and waits for our acknowledgement. He calls us and gives a mission, but how many times do we act like Moses and argue about it because we’re fearful of what might happen to us and how others think of us. Or could it be that we gave up?  Moses never had to worry about much when he had wealth and fame, but when all that was taken away, he was aware of his own weaknesses.   That’s when his journey of work as a simple man began.  Did Moses think that he had done alright by himself and on his own?  At this point in his life, he felt like he was on his own and destined to life as a simple man.  What must that have been like and have we ever felt this way?  Have we had accomplishments that we believed we achieved entirely on our own?  This does give us cause to pause and think about our lives… and about our blessings…

Before Moses was chosen to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, God had to put him through training.  He had to change his mind-set.  This is exactly what God had to do with the Israelites as well once they got out of Egypt.  What about Pharaoh?  The scripture says that God hardened his heart.  Pharaoh would never have acknowledged God without the sign.  After all Pharaoh was king, an absolute ruler and in his culture believed to be a god himself.  God was getting the attention of everyone through the signs that revealed that He alone was (is) the one true God!

Do we know of people who have hardened hearts?  Perhaps, just perhaps, God has hardened their hearts to take them through trials in order to reveal His majesty to them.  Perhaps, he is not finished and is about to declare that He alone is God to those with hardened hearts.  Perhaps he is showing signs in the daily lives and waiting for acknowledgement.  Perhaps the trials take place so that sons, daughters, and grandchildren may witness the beauty of His holiness.  It does give us something to think about.  God has a bigger plan than any of us can ever imagine.

 

With hope, I continue to pray for all those both near and far from the Lord. May God use whatever it takes to bring us all into submission and unity in order to bring glory to Him.  In Jesus’ name…AMEN.

 

 

Va'era | וארא | "I appeared "

BTW ~ I've enlarged the print here because my eyes are not what they

 used to be even with glasses... LOL

Torah Portion: Exodus 6:2-9:35    

This study today struck a chord with me because I have at times felt just like Moses must have felt when dealing with a group of people who don’t want to hear what you are saying.  There is much more in this scripture that I could go into but my focus will be in the following scripture from Exodus 6:2-13.  First, join in my thoughts so that you can see where I am coming from…

Have you ever been given a directive from a higher authority and had to address a group, but the group would not listen? This has happened to me.  I had been given a leadership position that had no powers attached.  My main responsibility was that of messenger.  I was never given good news to relay but always negative news and this news was never received well.  I recall even having one of my co-workers actually put their hand up to my face when I was relaying a message!  Can you imagine how I felt in that position?   But all the same, that information had to be shared and the duties had to be performed.  Somehow it had become  my responsibility to see to it that all went as planned from my superior. 

In my situation, I realized that my job was basically to keep negative reactions away from my boss with the expectation that whatever was demanded would be done. Needless to say, this position was not at all pleasant and I was happy when the responsibility was given to another after a year.  Thank God, we were on a rotation and others had to experience this dreaded responsibility. (FYI ~ there wasn’t even any pay, respect or reward involved for this demeaning duty and that made it all the more miserable!)

Well, in my study I see that Moses had a similar situation and reaction from those he was to give his message.  The thing that I must keep in mind (and express to whomever is reading this) is that I am not comparing God to my previous boss.  The only similarity is that the directive had to be carried out. 

So read with me the comparisons…

God spoke to Moses and said to him   “I am the Lord.  I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them.  I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners.  Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.  Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.  I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.  I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.”

So with this I see that God was ready to bring His people out of bondage and lead them to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.

How could they neglect the sincerity of this message? Why were they unwilling to believe?  Look again.  The scripture says their spirit was broken because of harsh slavery.  But, what does that really mean?  Basically it meant that their hopes had been crushed and they could not even hear good news.  This might be a time that we think that their faith was not strong enough, but the truth is that they had been in bondage so long that they didn’t know anything else.  It was difficult to grab onto faith that they had not seen in others...  But my unanswered questions are ~ where were the teachings of God’s faithfulness of the past?  Were the generations who had been so prosperous at one time so sure of themselves that they stopped teaching their children that it was all because of God? Were they so caught up in the Egyptian world that they were unwilling to examine their godly heritage and keep it alive within their families?

Questions like these help me to put a light on human behavior.  In my experience, I see that when things are going good, even faithful people stop teaching and sharing testimonies with one another and their children.  Why?  who really knows?  But it happens and God becomes a distant legend or some sort of fairy tale. He is no longer ‘real’ and no longer important... 

The amazing thing is that God knows all about us and our shortcomings.  He knows our laziness in regards to teaching.  He knows our stubborness to reach out to others whether it is family, friend or stranger. When we read scriptures we often find that God looks at us in pity. He often begins to move again becasue someone or a group of believers remember him and cry out.  He then shows his sovereignty once again and pulls us close to Himself. He knows we are as little children.  He looks at our deadness and sees our unbelief.  We don't even know what we need but He does.  He sees our anxious and hopeless response to circumstances.  He takes our broken hearts and makes them come alive again.  He comes in to rescue us even when we have little or no faith.  That’s God!!!  He is long suffering toward us...

God takes our broken spirits and loves us in spite of our poor behavior.  In this He brings glory to Himself and His glory spread all over us as a warming blanket!  God is not hindered by our discouragement, unbelief and anxiety.  I must remember to depend on Him rather than myself.  When I do this, it brings Him  glory and honor that reflects back on me.

So the Lord said to Moses, “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.”  

But Moses said to the Lord, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?”  

But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

So there we have it.  The call of Moses was nonnegotiable. The call to us from God is also nonnegotiable.  If we are weak and have a broken spirit, we are to pray and God will help us.  We can trust His promises.  If others are weak and can’t hear anything that we say, let us pray for them and know that God will help.  We can trust Him and in this way we are fighting for them when they cannot fight for themselves.

Lord, help me to do as you have called me to do.  May I remember to pray for others and minister as you would have me share the Good News of Salvation with a lost and dying world.  Give me the strength to carry on when I am weary and may I show You to others and not just tell about You.  Help me to be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only!   In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

 

 

Vayechi | ויחי | "He lived "

Vayechi | ויחי | "He lived "       My sTudy is from Torah Portions, First Fruits of Zion.

• Torah: Genesis 47:28-50:26   

The Torah says little about life after death.  It is more concerned with how life is lived here on earth. A sect of Sadduccees, who did not believe in an afterlife were known in the time of the apostles. Another sect were the Pharisees who did believe in an afterlife and resurrection fromt he dead.  The Pharisees believeed that God promised to give the land to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and not to their descendents. The patriarchs died in faith and without receiving the promises. (Hebrews 11:13). Jacob made Joseph promise that he would be buried in the tomb with his fathers in Canaan.  

• Israel (Jacob and his family) lived in the land of Egypt in Goshen with possessions and grew exceedingly becasue of Joseph.
• Jacob being old, asked Joseph that he not be buried in Egypt but back to his fathers’ burial place in the cave in the field of Machpelah bought by Abraham from Ephron the Hittite.  Joseph agreed.
• Jacob then blessed Joseph’s sons as his own sons… “May God make you as Ephraim and as Manasseh.” Asking God to cause one’s negative past to be forgotten and his future to be fruitful.
• Jacob blessed Joseph by blessing his sons and then told him, "Behold I am dying but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers and gave one portion about his brothers to him."
• Jacob called his sons so that he might tell them what was in their futures which was a result of sin for the most part...
• Reuben   who was Jacob’s might and the beginning of strength, excellency of dignity and power, but unstabel as water so that he will not excel. He sinned by sleeping with Jacob's concubine and not worthy to recieve the first born birthright so that Joseph's sons received the first born birthright.
• Simeon and Levi who are two of a kind, instruments of cruelty, with no honor, no council but self-willed so that they murder.  Their anger is cursed and they will be divided and scattered.
• Judah whose brothers shall praise and bow down to you and your hand is on the neck of enemies.  Judah is a lion’s whelp (still dependent) and lies down as a lion but in the future Judah will rule and the people will obey. The donkey bound to the vine and its colt to the choice vine. He washed his garments in wine & clothes in the blood of grapes, who’s eyes are dark and teeth are white.  [Symbolic ~ Shiloh (the peaceful one) will come and  bind his donkey and colt to a vine. Shiloh will be washed in wine (blood). His eyes will be dark and his teeth white.]
• Zebulun will dwell in the sea and is a haven for ships.
• Issachar is a strong donkey, lying between two burdens, restful and pleasant; and ends up as  a band of slaves.
• Dan is a judge, a serpent, a viper that bites the horse’s heels and causes the rider to fall back saying I have waited for your salvation, O LORD.
• Gad as warriors who are trampled but triumph at the last.
• Asher is rich, with much bread and royal dainties.
• Naphtali as a deer on the loose using beautiful words.
• Joseph is a fruitful bough by a well whose branches run over it; archers grieved him but his bow was strength & he was strong by the hands of God & God will bless from heaven and from the deep, and blessings of children and fathers, of land and rule.
• Benjamin as a ravenous wolf who devours  prey in the morning and divides the spoil at night.
• Then Israel (Jacob) died and was embalmed Egyptian style & after 40 days, Joseph pleaded with Pharoah to let him take his father to the land of Canaan to bury him and he did. 
•  Afterwhich, Joseph’s brothers feared that he would seek revenge after Jacob’s death but Joseph reassures them that all is well.
• Joseph's last days... They continued to live in Egypt together.  When Joseph was 110 years old,  he died and was embalmed and buried in Egypt.

 

We are born and we die.  What we do with the life that is given to us is what ultimately counts with God.

His Word to Me...

My early morning devotions began with face to the ground prayer. 

Next, when I sat down to read scripture, it was time to read Matthew 5, which has become one of my favorites.  Back when I was in my 20s, my favorite scriptures were from Proverbs. Who can say why? I only know that I enjoyed those best. Now that I'm (LOL) a little over half a century old, my favorites have changed.

In these words, He says "Blessed are you when..."

You may think it odd, but I wanted to see what "blessed" really meant and not just what I thought it meant.  I've heard it preached before as "happy" and for years have thought this whenever reading it.  Well, being happy may be part of it but I find that "happy" is a frivolous state of being and that it doesn't usually last very long.  Would God really be telling me to keep on being so frivolous?  Well, I don't think so and that's why I looked up the word blessed.  I found several different ways to describe and define what it is but through all this, I've come to know that to be blessed means, 'you are worthy, you are holy, you are consecrated in my eyes'.

Imagine that?!  It's not about being "happy" at all".  My Lord is saying,

• "You are Holy when you are poor and weak in spirit, when you recognize your state of being.
• You are Holy when you mourn and cry out in grief.
• You are Holy when you are meek and not conceited or stuck up thinking you are better than others.
• You are Holy when you hunger and thirst for righteousness because He is righteous.
• You are Holy when you are merciful (compassionate).
• You are Holy when you are pure in heart, without defilement of thought.
• You are Holy when you are a peacemaker.
• You are Holy when you are persecuted for righteousness.
• You are Holy when others revile you and tell lies about you because of Him.

In all this, My Lord tells me that he expects me to act and react in holy ways at all times. When I do these things, He blesses me, He calls me Holy! I am to do these things without working for them, without thinking of reward. But at the same time He makes promises....

He promises that:

•  the kingdom of heaven is mine
•  I will be comforted
•  I will inherit the earth
•  I shall be satisfied
•  I shall have mercy
•  I shall see God
•  I shall be called as a son (daughter) of God
•  the kingdom of heaven is mine!!!!

He goes on to tell me that I am to rejoice and be glad when others are cruel to me because of Him.

He reminds me that....

•  I am the salt and I am the light
•  He came to fulfill the law.

In all things he tells me what to do.  He tells me what to do with my anger~ duh ~ make peace. He tells me not to lust and not to divorce. He tells me not to swear. He tells me that I am not to be revengeful and to love even my enemies. Now, alone I am unable to do even the one of these things faithfully.

But he's not asking.  He commands me that I must be perfect, as my heavenly Father is perfect.  That is what He expects. My duty then is to strive for His perfection and in so doing He will give me what I need to accomplish it! What powerful scripture to start my day! WOW!

Shemot | שמות | "Names " Jan. 14 2012

My study is taken from the Torah Portions from First Fruits of Zion, http://torahportions.org/.   This week's scriptures are:  Luke 5:12-39, Exocuds 1:1-61 and Isaiah 27:6-28:13 & 29:22-23.

Connections:
I like to find connections in my scripture readings and this week is no exception.

The Torah Portion title is "Shemot" (שמות),which means “names.”  Generally, titles for each Torah Portion can be found within the first verses of the portion. That being said, we find that the Exodus reading begins by giving the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt. 

My study habits have transformed from being satisfied with just surface knowledge into seeking to know more about the author and finisher of my faith, My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I have grown accustomed to asking deeper questions at the onset of my study.  One question has become, "What is the greater importance of the title and how is this connected to the scripture readings for the week?"

I have been taught that there is no Hebrew word for coincidence.  This just means to me that God's plan doesn't allow for coincidence. Since there are no coincidences then there must be a reason for the order and format of my study. Now, everyone will not agree with me on this matter, but that's okay.  I'll move on anyway...

• I began by looking at the scriptures from Luke and questioned how "Names" was connected. The scripture is interesting in that the the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this...?"  They seek a name, an answer to know who is it that does all these healing miracles?  Without realizing, they are seeking The Name above all names.  The answer is not clearly given to them, but with a deeper than surface understanding, we can see that The Name is Jesus, the Son of God. Hallelujah! 

· Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy …But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. Word of mouth drew the people to Him for what He could do for them, that He could heal them…


· Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man…Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal… And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” Yes, with the crowds, even the scribes and Pharisees came. But they came not only to see but to condemn. This reminds me that there will always be those around who do not understand and do not want to understand when God is moving. Those who think they know everything will not be willing to see God because they will have blinded eyes and deafened ears!
· Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew) …a tax collector named Levi…Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Still the scribes and Pharisees stand in judgement…

· A Discussion about Fasting “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” I wonder who is asking this question.  Could it be one of the scribes and Pharisees or just someone who has taken notice?  Is the qustion asked in judgement or from the perspective of a sincere desire to know?  We do not know the answer to this.  But God knows and there is a reason that it is recorded for us.   Is the bridegroom with us? Isn't He supposed to be spiritually speaking?  Or does it mean, physically? Has the bridegroom been taken away from us?  Questions to ponder...                                                                 

• Next, I read the Torah Portion and the title emerges: Now these are the names (shemot) of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob (Exodus 1:1).  Each son came with his own household:  Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,  Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,  Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.  All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt.  Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation.  But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.  As we continue to read, we find the people, enslaved, being mistreated and mistrusted by Pharoah and the Egyptians. They cry out to God. Various events take place and God raises up Moses to act on His behalf.  But Moses is hesitant and questions God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?”  God said to Moses, “I am who I am.”  This is the Name above all names!  At the end of this portion, the promise is given: But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”  Although in this portion, the people are not delivered out of Egypt yet, but God has not abandoned them.  The upcoming readings reveal the story.  Much of the surface of the story, we all know.  But what of deeper meanings?  How can the life of the people of Israel be likened to the people of the United States or even of any country?  How are we like Moses or Aaron, or not like them?  How are we like Pharaoh or the Egyptians, or not like them?  What lessons are here that reveal our relationship to God Almighty?  Each of us must answer these questions on our own...

Many things stand out in these scriptures, but the points highlighted in color were the most important to me during this study this time and represent the basis for my understanding.

· Exodus 1:1

Introduction ~ the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt…

· Exodus 1:8
The Israelites Are Oppressed …the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad…they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves… birth sons were to be killed…

· Exodus 2:1
Birth and Youth of Moses …saved for a greater purpose, raised in the Pharoah’s home, raised as royalty with all the advantages

· Exodus 2:11
Moses Flees to Midian …after killing an Egyptian, hides away and makes a new life… the new life is one of hard work and few advantages

· Exodus 3:1
Moses at the Burning Bush …God reveals Himself to Moses

· Exodus 3:13
The Divine Name Revealed …“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” “I Am has sent me to you.”

· Exodus 4:1
Moses' Miraculous Power …the staff of Moses becomes a serpent…that they may believe… the leprous hand was cleansed… the water of the Nile turned to blood… God send Aaron along with Moses to be his mouth…

· Exodus 4:18
Moses Returns to Egypt …the people believed and wanted to worship & sacrifice to the Lord

· Exodus 5:1
Bricks without Straw …but Pharaoh punishes the people

· Exodus 6:1
Israel's Deliverance Assured …God promises the people will be delivered

• Last, the reading of Prophets: Isaiah 27:6-28:13, 29:22-23. Therefore thus says the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:“Jacob shall no more be ashamed, no more shall his face grow pale. For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.   Again, there it is the Name above all names!

 · Isaiah 27: …The time is coming when Jacob’s descendants will take root. Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole earth with fruit!

· Isaiah 28 …A Message about Samaria…proud people brought down… the Lord will send a mighty army against it…

· Isaiah 29 …A Message about Jerusalem…Suddenly, in an instant, I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will act for you with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire. All the nations fighting against Jerusalem* will vanish like a dream!


  



 

My Study of Sarah

I’m working on a Jewish roots study exploring the lives of Biblical women with a goal to uncover valuable truths and apply what I’m able to understand to my life. As you read with me, let’s ponder over the lessons, seek His guidance, and ask more questions. Let’s pray for His divine understanding and wisdom and finally let’s help one another during the process of  our learning and the overflowing revelation to others that we may all be better people (and in this case women).



I must first lay some ground work, in case you are unaware before getting into the study.  In Judaism, it is believed that Torah includes all rabbinic teachings. This means that the words of the rabbis are held along the scriptures themselves as inspired teachings. The scriptures of the Torah were handed down in both written and oral form. The written form is what most of us understand as the Old Testament. The oral form was written down much later to become what is known as the Midrash and Talmud. (Learning from these oral traditions is not unlike us when we read Bible commentaries. We, as Christians, can find commentaries in book form separate from our scriptures, but often these commentaries comes right in the Bible we choose to study from.)

Much of what is understood about Sarah from the Jewish perspective comes out of the oral traditions. (I'm not going to debate using oral tradition with anyone, but open it up and look at it.  In past times, the baby has been thrown out with the bath water and I just decided I was going to pick up that little baby, instead of leaving it there.) So...

The points I’m about to make are mainly based on an article from http://www.aish.com/ HA’AISH ~Advanced-level Illuminations on the Weekly Parsha~ Chayei Sarah (Genesis 23:1-25:18) By Rabbi Ari Kahn. I’ve also used Internet resources such as dictionaries, Jewish encyclopedia, and previous teachings too numerous to expand upon.



Point 1:

Sarah lived to be 127 years old. If you look at a Bible translation for Genesis 23:1 that says simply that Sarah was 127 years old then this translation misses the Jewish perspective which says “The lifetime of Sarah consisted of one hundred years, twenty years and seven years.” Now, this doesn’t seem to be so great a difference but it is taught in Judaism that her life can be broken down into three stages. It is further believed that she maintained the quality traits of each stage. Most people pass from one stage of their lives to the next, leaving the previous stage behind, perhaps taking with them some fond memories. But Sarah maintained her innocence as a 7-year-old. She had the strength of a 20-year-old and the wisdom of a 100-year-old.

When we look at scriptures; we see that Sarah is often regarded as a beautiful woman even when she is old and past child bearing years. My pondering mind wonders if this isn’t an outward appearance of a 20 year old. Could it be that because she always had the purity of an innocent 7 year old that she was unable to see the problems that would take place when she came up with the plan for Hagar to have a child for her? Personally I think that her wisdom was attained over the years from her own life experiences and that of her vast household. May God grant that my thoughts be innocent, that I have strength and youthful stamina and that my actions always reflect a wise heart.

Point 2:.

Sarah & Abraham were known as a team, together. His biblical life doesn’t really start without her and we see that Abraham seems to disappear after Sarah's death. The mantle of leadership passes on quickly to Isaac and Rebecca.

As soon as Sarah’s burial and mourning period ended, Abraham sent out for a replacement for Sarah in the family camp. It was important to establish a continuation of what God had birthed within them. A wife for Isaac was of the greatest urgency because someone had to fill the matriarchal role in the Hebrew nation.

Point 3:

Abraham & Sarah converted many to the belief in One God (monotheism). This is not something that we usually are taught or understand. We don’t think of Abraham as being on mission to convert. In Abraham’s day, the world was worshipping, but they were worshipping all kinds of gods (polytheism). Abraham and Sarah were on mission to convert the world to the One True God! They started with those of their own household, but in order to affect the world they had to move away from family. This may be the first time you’ve “heard” this nugget. (Read it again. I did at first.) They were “going forth” to affect the world for God. Abraham was a sojourner in the land and as he moved from one place to another, he would be seen to build an altar to God. This act of worship was seen throughout the pagan land. They were all watching! They saw him being blessed by God and in this Abraham was blazing a path for the world to God.

We must remember that the mission of “going forth” never stopped. It just transferred to us from the mouth of Jesus. It wasn’t a new mission. Jesus wasn’t something new, He was the fulfillment of scriptures. Our Lord Jesus was from the beginning with God. That isn’t new. Jesus was, and is and is to come! This is a hard concept that is only seen in faith. Abraham moved in response to God the Father. We move in response to God the Son and through the nudging of God, The Holy Spirit. We cannot proclaim God to the world until we realize and believe that Jesus is! The first proclamation is that God is one. We don’t have many gods to serve. We have just One God seen in three persons! Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. We can go forth as Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28: 19-20 Hallelujah!

So the first mission "to go" was given to Abraham, and of course included Sarah. The Midrash states: "Abraham converted the men and Sarah converted the women." Thus Abraham and Sarah were equals & teachers. To this day, devout Jews believe that their job is still to point the world to God. Tikkun olam (Hebrew: תיקון עולם‎) is a Hebrew phrase that means "repairing the world." They were meant to be the light to the world in order to repair. Tikkun olam is a huge teaching in Orthodox Judaism.

Point 4.

The Jewish story behind Hagar. The Midrash gives biographical information about Hagar: "Hagar was Pharaoh's daughter. When Pharaoh saw what was done on Sarah's behalf in his own house, he took his daughter and gave her to Sarah, saying, 'Better let my daughter be a handmaid in this house than a mistress in another house'" [Midrash Rabbah, Genesis 45:1)

So Hagar was royalty & an aristocrat. Sarah saw Hagar as an appropriate partner for Abraham. She believed if Abraham was to have a child, that child must be the greatest child possible and Hagar, a Pharoah’s daughter would have been the finest choice. (Well, it’s hindsight but don’t we see how naive her thinking is? Isn’t this like the innocence of a 7-year-old? She can see the end result, which was a longed for child, but she didn’t think of the ramifications of her plan. Sometimes we are all very naive and we don’t wait on God. She knew she was past child-bearing and she knew God had promised children. She must have been thinking, “What could possibly be wrong with giving Hagar to Abraham, after all Hagar is mine to give?)

Genesis 16 relates that Sarah, in an act of complete self-sacrifice, invites the beautiful Egyptian princess to become a partner with her husband. Has anyone ever thought that it was self-sacrifice on Sarah’s part? Really stop and think about this for a moment. Could she have thought, “I’m willing to give up my husband so that he might be a father because it is clear that I will not be having a child.”? If we look at it in this light, it is self-sacrifice. God saw her heart and I haven’t found where He ever condemned her for her plan. Now, Sarah’s actions had a huge negative result but did God condemn her for it? It appears that God saw the attitude of her heart. God didn’t stop her from her plan. Did Abraham consult God on the plan? Should Abraham have stopped the plan?  What does this tell us????

Let’s look at Hagar. She was given to Sarah and would have been discipled by her. Once Hagar becomes pregnant and bears a child, she concludes that God has now chosen her over Sarah and thinks that Sarah is an unworthy partner for Abraham because Sarah has no child. Where would she have gotten this idea? I believe she would have gotten it from Sarah, herself.  Sarah may never have uttered a word in regard to her actions but we all know that actions speak louder than words.  Hagar may have thought, "Your God won't give you a child so you, Sarah, aren't good enough. But I must be good enough. Look at what God did for me!"  How many of us have thought things like this in regard to our prayers?  "If I were just good enough, God would do... (fill the blank)."  No, God doesn't operate that way.  Read the word closely and discover Him for yourself.  Don't just take my word for it!

So Hagar eventually becomes confused as to her role in the relationship between Sarah and Abraham. She begins to think of herself as a wife because she carries and gives birth to Abraham child. Isn’t she a second wife? In her confusion, Hagar tells the other women: "My mistress Sarah is not inwardly what she is outwardly; she appears to be a righteous woman, but she is not. For had she been a righteous woman, (she would have conceived) see how many years have passed without her conceiving, whereas I conceived in one night." [Midrash Rabbah 45:4]

We should remember that according to her birth as Pharoah’s daughter, Hagar must have believed she was born to lead. Taken from a luxurious life to be wandering around in a tent, Hagar must have felt that she was given the opportunity to rule in Abraham's house and be more than a simple handmaiden. She believed that she had received a divine sign that she, who was born to be queen, would indeed be the queen. We are not told if she believed in the One God of Abraham, she would have been raised to believe that her very father was a god. She is confused from the beginning, thinking that her father (a god) would have given her over to another man who worshipped another god.

Along with Hagar’s confusion, she was also mistaken when she assumed that Abraham alone led the people. She failed to recognize that it was a partnership, the combination of Abraham and Sarah, which was the basis for the great movement that she herself had become a part of. In giving Hagar to Abraham, Sarah responded, not out of selfishness, nor out of jealousy, but by understanding that she was an equal partner with Abraham. When Hagar gets carried away with her personal beliefs and starts mocking and making fun, Sarah informs Abraham that it is time to send Hagar away. Scriptures say that Abraham finds it quite difficult. But, we see that God confirmed that Hagar was to be sent away. God said to Abraham: 'Whatever Sarah your wife says you shall listen.'[Genesis 21:12]

Point 5.

The next area of understanding of Sarah comes from a supernatural phenomena. [Midrash Rabbah-Genesis 60:16] as explained by Rashi: "As long as ... Sarah was alive, there was a candle lit from Friday night to Friday night. Her dough was blessed, and a cloud was tied to her tent. When Sarah died, all these things ceased. When Rebecca entered the tent, all these phenomena returned."

Years ago, I ran across an explanation about God's blessing of the candles and the bread. Sarah was the first to light the Sabbath candles and it is said that God honored her by allowing her candles to burn continuously from one Sabbath to next. The second blessing was that of the dough that would not go bad from one Sabbath to the next. The last blessing mentioned was a new one for me. I hadn't heard of it and here’s the message of the cloud.

There is only one use of the phrase "a cloud tied to her tent" in the Midrash. But a the Midrash tells that a cloud is tied to something else. Mount Moriah would be the location and it was concerning the impending sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham looked up and saw a mountain with a peculiar cloud tied to the mountain. Isaac shared this vision, but the others who accompanied them saw only the mountain.

[Abraham] saw a cloud tied to the mountain, and said: "It appears that is the place where the Holy One, blessed be He, told me to sacrifice my son." ... He then said to him: "Isaac, my son, seest thou what I see?" "Yes," he replied. Said he to his two servants: "See ye what I see? " No," they answered. [Midrash Rabbah , Genesis 56:1-2)

The servants saw only the mountain, the physical reality, and not the cloud which represents the metaphysical, Abraham tells them to stay behind with the donkey. It’s interesting that the Hebrew world for "donkey," chamor, is related to the word for "physical," chomer.) Only Abraham and Isaac see the cloud tied to the mountain, and only they will continue the spiritual journey. They were able to see beyond the physical.

Abraham is described as one of three who "rides" on a donkey. The other two are Moses and the Messiah. The description of the coming of the Messiah riding a donkey is in the writings of Zechariah. So the physical realm is revealed with the Messiah in this passage. But we need to look not only at the physical but at the spiritual realm, from Daniel, “And behold, one like the son of man comes with the clouds of heaven”.

In Jewish thought, there is no tension between the physical world and the spiritual world. The physical is to be elevated and used in spiritual contexts. The physical is a means toward an end. The problem has been that many have seen the physical as an end unto itself. They must see all in the physical in order to believe, but without faith you cannot believe. Abraham and Isaac saw the cloud and ascended Mount Moriah alone for they were in touch with something beyond the physical.



Point 6

Nothing stopped with Sarah. We know her as the beginning matriarch of the Hebrew nation. Sarah understood more than the physical realm and had faith.  She worked side by side with her husband Abraham all her days. It's interesting to note that the death of Sarah is given in many verses.  She was a most respected woman and given great honor.  Abraham would not use a burial place without paying for it even though he was offered one without payment.

The place of burial is known as Hebron and its name is interesting. The name Hebron comes from (habar) meaning be joined, coupled, allied. Derivatives are: (heber), meaning company, association; (haber), meaning associate, companion; (hoberet), a joint (a connection, such as used in the tabernacle Exodus 26:10); (habbar), associate, partner; (mehabbera), binder, clamp.   So Hebron was the place where the first matriarch was laid to rest and later Abraham was laid to rest there beside her, as well as Issac and Rebecca when their burial times came.


 
After Sarah, Rebecca stepped into her position of authority because of faith. A cloud was tied to her tent. Although neither Sarah or Rebecca are said to have been on the mountain top, they had faith that God was with them even in their tents. In spite of living in a physical world they knew they were connected to the spiritual world of God and lived their lives knowing this. From Abraham and Sarah to Isaac and Rebecca the torch was passed. As women, we are to continue learning and living with the knowledge that we are connected to the spiritual world of God and not only connected but we are to walk in the center of the spiritual with God leading!


Please, I am no means finished with my study of Sarah. This has been the first leg of my journey.  Many things were viewed here that I'd not thought of or known before. Since this post represents more of a Jewish perspective, my next step is to look at her from what has been taught in a Christian perspective.  After this, I'll compare and contrast the perspectives in order to better comprehend the overall representation of Sarah and what she is supposed to mean to all of us, both Jew and Christian.  If  you strongly oppose this article or any portion of it, oh well.  Remember it is my study and I am not finished. God knows my heart and my questions are not doubting him but my hearts' desire is to know him better each day.  I hope you were sparked to research on your own... but don't forget while researching, you need to pray for understanding and wisdom.  God bless you.

My Study of Hannah

I recently began teaching a Women's Bible Class.  We started a few weeks ago with Proverbs 31 and now are in the study of Hannah.  I believe that I'm typical of most Christians and most of us generally skim and don't actually study scripture.  It's easy to read something and say that we've finished with it.  My second graders at school react just this way, too. They will read a selection but have no idea of all the things that the author meant for him/her to see.  Comprehension is very different than just reading. I pray that we all slow down a bit and actually ligner and meditate to comprehend God's intent for us.  In order to know Him, we must aquire a heart knowledge and not just a head knowledge.  In my case, my goal is to adapt more faith for my day to day journey by gaining a heart knowledge of God through the lives of the faithful.  We are all given a measure of faith, but what do we do with it?  I seek to expand it by using it.  That sounds strange but with God, love and faith grow when we use them and share them. 

Now, another thing is that many times we focus so much on the very strong and obvious faith of a Biblical character that we forget that they are human.  We must remember not to put them up on a pedestal because of their faith.  We need to observe them as we are, human.  Then we need to look at their faith in God as they approach life as a human being.  In doing this, the first thing that I discovered about Hannah that I hadn't noticed before is that she must have been very sick and tired of her life before she fell at the alter where Eli, the Priest, heard her prayer.

Although, I usually use either the King James, New King James or The Living Translation, this time I find that The Message Bible is my selection.  My brief summary from 1 Samuel 1:

• At first we read who Elkanah is and then we discover that he is not only Hannah's husband, but also husband to Peninnah.  Peninnah has children and Hannah does not, which she is quite upset about.  To add to Hannah's pain is the fact that Peninnah taunted her and rubbed it in that God had not given her children.  So every year, Hannah had to endure the shame of going to the sanctuary without children. According to 1 Samuel 1:9-11, we read of what took place there.  She prayed and was blessed by Eli. Time passed and eventually she had a son, Samuel.  While still a very young child, and after weaning him, she dedicated him back to God as she had promised.  Samuel was left with Eli for trianing.

Sometimes when we read this, we think of it only as a miracle story and don't really meditate upon it for long.  I pulled it apart in my study and found some parallels to my own life, perahps there are some things that ring a bell with you, too. 

Sick and Tired
Have you ever been sick and tired over something?  This is exactly what I think happened to Hannah. Take a look at all the things that I think she must have been sick and tired of.

• Hannah was possibly tired of being the second wife.  I say, she is second because she is mentioned second and also becasue a wife with children would have been considered the more important wife in the Hebrew culture.  The firstborn son inherited from his father so this mother would have been considered more important than a childless wife. (This fact is true even though Elkanah loved Hannah and favored her at times according to scripture.)  Now, perhaps you have never been the second to another woman but have you been second to your husband's friends, family, job, or hobbies?  You can relate to Hannah in this way if you have ever felt second place to a loved one for any reason.
• Hannah was tired of being pitied.  After all each year she would have to endure the pain of not having a child with her so that she and her child could receive portions of meat from the sacrifice.  She was given a large (choice) amount not only because she was loved by her husband but because she was pitied and childless.  Have you ever felt pitied?
• She was tired of watching Elkanah lavish fatherly care for his children.  She must have been tired of watching Pennah grow in pregrancy and give birth.  Then watching her nurse and care for her babies.  Have you ever desired something so much that you were envious?
• She was tired of hearing compliments to Peninnah and Elkanah for thier children.  Have you ever felt if you had to hear something one more time that brought you pain, you would vomit?
• She was tired of empty arms and an aching heart.  She had to endure Elkanah's love that she interpreted as pity.  It didn't matter what he might say, it was how she felt that mattered.  She must have been tired of feeling guilty before God and her husband for not producing a child.
• She had to be tired of crying and feeling sick.  There had to be moments that she was tired of arguing her pain with Elkanah because he just didn't get it.
• She had to be so tired of being misunderstood and at times tired that God would not hear her and do something.  She must have been tired of the bitterness and anger in her heart.
• She was tired of being tired and exhausted in her sorrow and grief.

Well, I don't know about anyone else but I have been tired of being tired and exhausted so I can relate.

I used study questions from James Knox and found that these questions and verses led me to discover great promises for us, when we are tired and impatient.  In these verses, I'm going to just write down the promises that I've discovered.  I challenge you to go to each verse, read and meditate upon it and discover what might be there for you.  Through the years I've found that he gives us what we need when we need it.  Here are the promises that I found for me.  I've personalized them in print so that I can linger in His majesty as a little child adoring her royal father who loves her so much, he gives her all things that are good for her.

God says:

•  Psalm 31:19 I have stored up goodness for you. I will protect you.
• Psalm 111:10  I will give you wisdom. 
• Psalm 112  I will give you joy.
• Psalm 147  I'll always love you!
• Job 23:1-12  I will listen.  I will make you pure.
• Jeremiah 24:5-7  I won't uproot you.  I care for you.  I will give you a heart to know me.  You will be mine.  You are mine!
• Jeremiah 29:11-14  I have great plans for you.  I'll give you a future and hope.  I hear your prayers. I am here for you.
• Jeremiah 31:10-14  I will pull you to me. I will give you great love and much more. I will give you a party. We will have a feast.  I will exchange your sadness for rejoicing.  I will give you good gifts.
• 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 I will give you comfort.
• James 1:2-4   I will make you perfect, needing nothing.
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18  I will give you glory that lasts forever.
• 2 Corinthians 12:7-10  I will give you grace.  I will give you power.
• 1 Peter 4:12-14  I will make you a partner with Christ.  I will give you wonderful joy of seeing His glory.  My Spirit rests on you!

 I've looked at Hannah with a different perspective and just as Hannah was tired of certain things in her life.  I have my own list...  But when I trust in God and believe in His promises.  When I seek Him to guide me and obey what He has commanded, then being tired isn't the object of my thoughts but being with Him is.  Once I realize that I can't do much (if anything) about what I'm tired of AND trust God for help, change my attitude then He'll teach me to to overcome.