Now I Will Praise the Lord
(Photo by Melissa Askew on Unsplash)
...she said, "This time I will praise the Lord...."
Genesis 29:35 (NIV)
My Beautiful Child,
I desire that you praise Me. I know it's not easy to get your mind off your circumstance and turn to praise, but as Leah did, you can do it! She was unloved by her husband, but she knew I saw her and opened her womb to have children. Leah gave birth to four sons. She longed to be loved by her husband, Jacob. After the first three were born, Leah named them according to her belief that I had seen her misery and now Jacob would love her. She had given him a son, then two, then three, but nothing changed. Jacob loved his other wife, Rachel. Even though Rachel had given him no children, she was the one he wanted. It was unfair, and it hurt. When Leah gave birth to a fourth son, something changed. It was no longer about her longing to be loved by Jacob; it was about Me. I had given her four sons. Regardless of her husband's affection toward her, she knew I loved her. She began to focus on Me. She named her son, Judah. Judah means "praise," and that's when Leah said, "Now I will praise the Lord!"
Having the love, acceptance, and praise of people is wonderful, but it's not everything. Knowing I love and accept you is what matters! It's never easy to feel rejection, but can I tell you something? It is possible to be rejected by people and not be wounded in your soul. My son, Jesus, found a way to process rejection, so it only stung him a bit, but it never penetrated His heart. He knew I loved Him and was pleased with Him, and He focused on that truth. When you know I love you and think you matter; then you can forgive any offense no matter how small or big. You will find the Scripture true that says, " in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56:11). People may hurt or reject you, but your heart belongs to Me, and I say, "You are beautiful; you are loved; you are just who I want!"
You may feel rejected from your wayward one, or maybe it's knowing they have rejected Me that hurts so badly. Either way, it is vital that you take your eyes off of them and look at Me. Then you will be able to say, "What the Lord says about me, and about my loved one is all I need to know" When you look at Me, you will find that I have a plan for you and a plan for them. I am working that plan right now. I have a purpose for everything under heaven, and just like the rain and the snow water the earth to bring forth food for your nourishment, My word goes forth and accomplishes everything that I intend for it to and produces what I send it out to do. When you look at Me and know what I say is true, you will be like Leah because, in spite of your heartache, you will say, "Now I will praise the Lord!"
I love you child with all My Father's heart!
Papa
There is an appointed time for everything. And there
is a time for every event under heaven--
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NASB)
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it
without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields
seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out
from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish
what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11 (NIV)
I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Psalm 146:2 (NIV)
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