WHO WAS CALLED BARREN

MEMORY VERSE: And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. Luke 1:36

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 71-75, Proverbs 15

Men love to give names to people. They may call one by his unfortunate background e.g. Jephtah the son of a harlot ( Judges 11:1-3).The knew Gilead was the father of Jephtah, yet they called him the son of a harlot simply because his mother was a harlot. They may call one by his problem or predicament e.g. blind Bartimeaus. The bible recorded his name as Bartimeaus Timaeus i.e. Bartimeaus the son of Timeaus ( Mark 10:46). Thousands of years after his healing, people are still calling him blind Bartimeaus. There was a woman called Elisabeth Zacharias, she was the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Because she had no child and had gone past child bearing, men began to call her barren. Luke 1:46 says: “And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.” Thank God it was people who called her barren not God. It does not matter what names people call you. How the experts described your medical condition is irrelevant. What matters is God’s report. What matters is what God calls you. Men may call you ‘barren’ but God has not called you barren. The Lord said in Exodus 23:26: “there shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.” What men say about you or circumstance is irrelevant. What is relevant is what God says about you. Search the scriptures to see what God says about you or your circumstances. Job 8:7 says: “though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.” Men said Walt Disney lacked creativity, some even said he lacked good ideas. God had something different to say about Walt Disney. Experts may have written your case off, God has not written your case off. It is never over until God says so.

Friend, what men say about your spiritual life is irrelevant. There are many who are humble inside the four walls of the church but ‘a tiger’ outsides the four walls of the church. Some only pray in the church, they do not pray at home. What men say about your relationship with God does not matter. To be frank only God can accurately describe your relationship with Him. Only God alone can accurately described our spiritually lives. What men say about your prayer life does not matter. What men say about your giving does not matter. Sadly, what we say about ourselves does not really matter too. 2 Corinthians 10:18 says: “for not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.” Men may call you a meek brother, but what does God call you? Men may call you a humble sister, but what does God call you? Samuel called Eliab the Lord’s anointed but the Lord called him a ‘cast away’ (1 Samuel 16:5- 7). Friend, what men say about your attendance does not matter. Many only attend service because they have nothing else to do at home and Champion’s league is not on until the next couple of weeks. What men say about your commitment to the things of God does not matter. You may be doing what you are doing in the vineyard of God because it is convenient. Friend, your service to God must cost you something. Whilst men look at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart. Are you an ordinary giver or a cheerful giver?

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Men changes. Those who shouted ‘Hosanna’ to Jesus were the same person who shouted ‘crucify Him.’ God is constant. He does not change.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, please open my eyes to see myself as You see me.

twitter@BroOluwatoki