This morning I was researching a topic when my devotions led me to Luke 1. One little phrase caught my attention; it had to do with Elizabeth. She was older and barren but the scripture says that she and Zechariah were both righteous before God. (v 6 ESV) That's an interesting point in itself as many probably thought it was God's judgment that didn't allow them to have children. That's just the way it was back then. If you had children you were blessed and if not then you were cursed, at least that's the way the culture leaned.
So that's point number one. Many people think because something we deem as bad has happened to us that it is God's way of cursing us. There can even be accusations from "Christians" to the extent that they say we are in sin since God didn't protect us from something terrible happening to us. Elizabeth was barren - but she was righteous! Just because we cannot live our lives like the "rest of the world" does not mean that we are barren or cursed - we just have a different set of circumstances to deal with in our daily lives. Being a caregiver has nothing to do with if we are righteous or not. And if we cannot get out and go to church - we can be looked on like Elizabeth - as if we are barren...but we are not - and this brings me to the second point I saw in this passage.
Point number two is that once God touched Elizabeth and she conceived - she kept herself hidden for 5 months! I'm like What? If all my neighbors were heaping reproach on me and the reason for it was removed - I'd be singing and dancing and letting everyone know! But Elizabeth hid herself for the first 5 months - and rejoiced in God's blessing alone. Wow, what intimacy with Him! (v 24-25)
Just because we are caregivers and can walk for many hours, days or weeks basically alone does not mean that God has abandoned us. To others it may look like we have a barren life. But if we can sort through the emotions and loneliness we can have a very fruitful existence hidden away with Him. He does not put any reproach on us; and He has not abandoned us to our circumstances. He is here with us to create fruitfulness in our lives - it just doesn't look like everyone else's process...
So that's point number one. Many people think because something we deem as bad has happened to us that it is God's way of cursing us. There can even be accusations from "Christians" to the extent that they say we are in sin since God didn't protect us from something terrible happening to us. Elizabeth was barren - but she was righteous! Just because we cannot live our lives like the "rest of the world" does not mean that we are barren or cursed - we just have a different set of circumstances to deal with in our daily lives. Being a caregiver has nothing to do with if we are righteous or not. And if we cannot get out and go to church - we can be looked on like Elizabeth - as if we are barren...but we are not - and this brings me to the second point I saw in this passage.
Point number two is that once God touched Elizabeth and she conceived - she kept herself hidden for 5 months! I'm like What? If all my neighbors were heaping reproach on me and the reason for it was removed - I'd be singing and dancing and letting everyone know! But Elizabeth hid herself for the first 5 months - and rejoiced in God's blessing alone. Wow, what intimacy with Him! (v 24-25)
Just because we are caregivers and can walk for many hours, days or weeks basically alone does not mean that God has abandoned us. To others it may look like we have a barren life. But if we can sort through the emotions and loneliness we can have a very fruitful existence hidden away with Him. He does not put any reproach on us; and He has not abandoned us to our circumstances. He is here with us to create fruitfulness in our lives - it just doesn't look like everyone else's process...
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