In our modern world, there are still national protests in some countries and territories advocating more rights for women. Until recently, women in a certain country were not even allowed to drive. Women rights have always been human rights. If in the face of technological advances and overblown knowledge, women are still treated as second class citizens in some places, imagine the state of women 1000s of years ago. However, even in these stifling conditions, God still used different women to achieve His purpose and to bring His will on earth. We started a journey with Sarai (later to be known as Sarah) and identified that she was a woman with a burning desire; she was childless. Sarai and her family had enjoyed their lives at Ur of the Chaldeans until she was told that it was time to move. I am not so sure if Sarai was consulted before the relocation. It was time to move on and her father-in-law had plans to take them to Canaan. Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there. (Genesis 11:31) Ur might have been a place of comfort and fun. It is possible that Sarai had extended family and friends in Ur. Social and family ties serve as a strong support system and we get attached to what we have known for a long time. However, it was time to move and “Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Harran, they settled there” (Genesis 11:31). The plan of Terah to go to Canaan was aborted at Haran. The family settled on a land that was not their final destination. “Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran” (Genesis 11:32) without fulfilling the desire of moving to Canaan. Many of us are like Terah, we gear up for big dreams but at the end, we settle for less. Sarai was far away from Ur (where her past life was built) and far away from Canaan (where her future is destined for). Between Ur and Canaan is Haran, the land which was not meant to be the final destination. Settling in Haran does not bring fulfillment. It stalls vision and dreams. In the midst of pain, Sarai was still the support system for Abram. Her inner strength to move and to live shows in her physical appearance (she was well taken care of and a beautiful woman who could catch your attention). Sarai, the woman with an issue, was in a strange land. Her father-in-law who took them to the land had died. She remained childless and possibly had to keep all her pain to herself. Haran is a new land with new people. Have you ever felt alone surrounded by people you can hardly relate to? Sarai might have felt the same. Have you ever felt that your prayers have taken so long to be answered? Sarai might have felt the same. Have you ever wondered when you will finally get to see what you have been waiting for? Sarai felt the same. She was a woman who moved along with her pain of childlessness. She might have cried at some point, she might have asked Abram to give her a child but she was still strong. She was still the submissive wife who followed her husband wherever he went. When we are dealing with internal pains, sometimes it reflects in our relationship with others. We tend to vent our anger and frustration on people who might not have any idea of the pain we are going through. In the New Testament, Peter’s teaching on marital submissions used Sarah (Sarai) as an example; “For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her Lord. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.” (1 Peter 3:5-6) Dear sisters, no matter the situation we find ourselves, we should not lose ourselves to pain. Dear brother, be a support system for your wife, your sister and that female friend. When we cannot find peace, help us to understand that total peace is found in the Lord. Like Sarai, the destination might look far, but we will get there in Jesus name.
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