Good morning,
There is an account in the Word of God about a woman who did whatever was necessary to get a desired result. That requires, "hope against hope". God has left us many examples of people just like you and I, who had seemingly insurmountable situations in their lives, where nothing but "hope against hope" would bring them through. Before I share the scriptures that reveal a certain amount of tenacity of hope to keep plowing when all around is telling you that it is all over,take what has happened and be resigned to it, I will share this well known verse; "As it is written, I have made you the father of many nations. [He was appointed our father] in the sight of God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead and speaks of the nonexistent things that [He has foretold and promised] as if they [already] existed. [For Abraham, human reason for] hope being gone, hoped in faith that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been promised, So [numberless] shall your descendants be." (Rom. 4:17-18) To continue to believe and expect "good" when it looks like that "good" that you are expecting is never going to happen is what faith is all about. "So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." (2 Corin. 4:18) The story is about the famine that was during David's beginning reign. The Lord had allowed the famine because Saul had slain the Gibeonites, they were a nation that Israel had a made a peace treaty with, but Saul had broken it and had a lot of them killed. During prayer it was revealed that the famine was because this treaty had been broken. To rectify the situation the Gibeonites asked David to kill seven of Saul's sons. "Let seven men of his sons be delivered to us and we will hang them up before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, [on the mountain] of the Lord. And the king said, I will give them. But the king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the Lord’s oath that was between David and Jonathan son of Saul. But the king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of [Merab] daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hung them up on the hill before the Lord, and all seven perished together. They were put to death in the first days of barley harvest." (2 Sam.21:6-9) Now listen to one mother's persistence to change the inevitable. It was apparent that she was alone in the vision and her "calling". She was led to do what no one else would. Her champion defense seemed worthless, yet let's see whose attention she raised. "Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell on them, and she did not allow either the birds of the air to come upon them by day or the beasts of the field by night. It was told David what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. And David went and took the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them up when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa. He brought from there the bones of Saul and of Jonathan his son, and they gathered the bones of those who were hung up. And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son they buried in the country of Benjamin in Zelah in the tomb of Kish, [Saul’s] father, and they did all that the king commanded. And after that, God heard and answered when His people prayed for the land." (2 SAM. 21:10-14) Rizpah's determined and persistent stand for being a watchman over her son's bodies got the recognition of king David, as well as God. David was moved to act on her behalf, which also affected the end result for the nation of Israel. Her "hope against hope" moved the heart of her king, as well as God's. The famine ceased after her action of faith! If God has spoken clearly to your heart and it doesn't seem like anyone else is championing the vision, keep on hoping against hope as Rizpah did. She stood alone with the inner vision. I am sure others thought she has lost her mind. The boys are dead, what more can be done. It is over! Rizpah stood for the call on her heart to receive justice for them. Take your stand of faith and after doing all stand therefore. What you are doing is not for yourself alone, but will affect the nation of people that is in your sphere, your children, your grandchildren, your church, or your neighborhood. Every person of faith looks unique to those who have no faith, or don't have the inner vision. Listen to what is recorded about our Lord; "Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us. Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He for the joy [of obtaining the prize], that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God." So, let's be like Rizpah, who was imitating our Lord, let's not be moved by the temporary! Stand uniquely.
Love,
Pastor D.
Daughters of Z 