Shabbat 15 June 2024

SOAP

Shabbat Naso (Raise up/Elevate)


Scriptures

Psalm 113

English Standard Version
Who Is like the Lord Our God?
1 Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!
4 The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!

Judges 13:2-25
English Standard Version

2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. And his wife was barren and had no children. 3 And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. 4 Therefore be careful and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, 5 for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

17 And Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?” 18 And the angel of the Lord said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?”

Observation

The LORD is great and worthy to be praised among all HIS people but did HE do something for you that you should to truly praise HIM from your heart as David the King writes??? King David writes in Psalms 113:7-9 the reasons why GOD ought to be praised. HE raises the poor from the dust and lifts up the needy from the ashes to make them sit with Royalties!!! GOD only and GOD alone can do this! He gives the barren women a home, making her a joyous mother of children!!! This is what appeals to my heart and soul for I feel that I am not only a barren woman but that I am unloved by any man, will there anyone who would ever love me truly for who I am??? But the GOD I love is a faithful and wonderful GOD!!! According to what the Angel describes Himself because this "angel" who showed Himself to Samson's parents to turn their barrenness into fruitfulness is JESUS Himself who is called Wonderful! And truly Samson's parents could truly attest and experienced how wonderful GOD is because HE gave them a son and not just any son but a leader and a judge of Israel. 

Application

I will wait on GOD, I will cling to HIM, for even though today I feel unloved and barren, in the eyes of faith and according to JESUS who Shepherds me, I am loved and fruitful. It is only a matter of time that HE would show HIMSELF to me and encounter me once again so that I will be loved, and happily settled in a home with my husband and mother in law, a joyful mother of children! I have been so dismayed in the past for the promises that did not happen and the unfulfilled hopes, I was broken hearted but I was never destroyed, during those times, I let go for the things that were not meant for me, I let it go, I have learned to let everything go even my desires to marry a foreigner is no longer there. Because GOD has given me a new heart and a new spirit ever since I met Stephen, I was changed and I won't ever be the same. A lot of my changes was because of Stephen and his presence in my life had an effect on me and this is how I know Stephen is fit to be my king because he inspires me to be the better until I am the best that I can be. I never knew love could be so painful when it is not reciprocated, but today I will bear that pain until the day that GOD will give him to me because I cannot shake off the feeling, even though I don't want to feel anything for him. As my brother David always encourages me to endure waiting for GOD to give me what I have been praying for at the same time Stephen also encourages me to be patient and persevere in business. Even if it's not going to be Stephen, I can trust GOD to fulfill HIS promise to me to an even better man because I always believe that with GOD the best is yet to come!

Prayers

Dear AVI,

Great and Wonderful YOU truly are O LORD! I will continue to endure and persevere because YOU want me to, I will follow YOU LORD but please lessen the pain, the pain in my heart that I am unloved and barren for 42 years of my life because YOU have been the husband who had been faithfully loving me and making me bear fruit in other areas of my life. Help me to wait on YOU and to keep trusting YOU and having hope in my heart that no matter who - YOU will come through for me! YOU are all that matters, I want to live my life where YOU are all that matters. I want to be walking in the Spirit like I did before so help me GOD fill my life with YOUR presence, and I pray that YOU do the same for Stephen and his household - his mother, his family. Please continue to speak and knock on Stephen's heart, speak to him LORD, move in his heart to love me more than any woman in his life and cause him to marry me because this is what YOU have revealed to me - that I am Ruth and I will love my mother in law, I already love Benita without knowing who she is and so I pray have YOUR way O GOD in our lives! Please O GOD, let YOUR kingdom come and let YOUR will be done here on earth as it is in Heaven! Thank YOU for YOUR love and kindness to me. Now please let me enjoy this Shabbat day with people, with church with rest and I pray that Stephen will learn how to rest too and enjoy his mother. I pray O GOD, take care of them and take care of me. Please continue to speak to Diko Lillian and Pacita to be saved and speak to my parents, move in their hearts that Stephen is my husband according to what YOU have revealed to me in the Name of JESUS My KING who is worthy of my highest praise and worship, Amen!