Bring Me A Sword
Today I am reading 1 Kings 3:16-28. Here we find two women and one live baby and one dead baby. They both claim the live baby is theirs and the dead baby is not. There is no DNA testing. The babies must have looked similar..... there is no witness to testify ...no photos...nothing to say whose baby belonged to who. They are only 3 days apart on age so they are very similar in their development.
I remember when I gave birth to my eldest daughter and she was placed in the hospital nursery whilst I rested...I had a huge fear. I was fearful of not recognising my own baby. I remember walking to the nursery to retrieve her and seeing the dozen or so other babies in there but I never for a moment did I not know she was my baby. I had, from her birth, every little feature etched forever in my mind. I was so relieved :-)
My mind goes to the real Mother of the live baby. She is a prostitute...what sadness and pain and hurt and darkness must have been in her past to bring her to this place? Is this baby the only one in her life she has to love and be loved in return? She has given birth out of wedlock. Does she worry about the future? How will she raise a child in that society and culture of the time? Marriage was the key to security and protection back then. Would she ever escape prostitution? I think of waking up to the horror of your baby being stolen. The anguish. The deception. Being full of milk and unable to feed your own baby. Seeing your baby in someone else's arms. Did she feel vulnerable? Did she feel intimidated? Obviously the Mother who stole the other lady's baby was aggressive and unscrupulous. Did the real mother feel like a victim once again...subject to circumstances outside her control? Who did they go to for help in solving the problem? The neighbours? Friends? The local judge? Finally the end up before the King himself. In great wisdom he determined to find out who truly had a Mother's heart of yearning love for the baby.
I love how this story tells me that no matter my circumstances, no matter how distraught I may feel, how much utter anguish and hopelessness, not matter how "not good" and crimson stained my life is....I can come before My King with the burden of my heart. He will accept me into His presence. He will hear the pleadings of my soul. He will answer me. He will answer with the sword.
"Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king." 1 Kings 3:24
Truly My King will speak into my soul in it's darkest times through the sword. The sword of the Spirit.
" For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb 4:12
Ps 119:105 "Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Ps 107:20 "He sent his word, and healed them"
I remember when I gave birth to my eldest daughter and she was placed in the hospital nursery whilst I rested...I had a huge fear. I was fearful of not recognising my own baby. I remember walking to the nursery to retrieve her and seeing the dozen or so other babies in there but I never for a moment did I not know she was my baby. I had, from her birth, every little feature etched forever in my mind. I was so relieved :-)
My mind goes to the real Mother of the live baby. She is a prostitute...what sadness and pain and hurt and darkness must have been in her past to bring her to this place? Is this baby the only one in her life she has to love and be loved in return? She has given birth out of wedlock. Does she worry about the future? How will she raise a child in that society and culture of the time? Marriage was the key to security and protection back then. Would she ever escape prostitution? I think of waking up to the horror of your baby being stolen. The anguish. The deception. Being full of milk and unable to feed your own baby. Seeing your baby in someone else's arms. Did she feel vulnerable? Did she feel intimidated? Obviously the Mother who stole the other lady's baby was aggressive and unscrupulous. Did the real mother feel like a victim once again...subject to circumstances outside her control? Who did they go to for help in solving the problem? The neighbours? Friends? The local judge? Finally the end up before the King himself. In great wisdom he determined to find out who truly had a Mother's heart of yearning love for the baby.
I love how this story tells me that no matter my circumstances, no matter how distraught I may feel, how much utter anguish and hopelessness, not matter how "not good" and crimson stained my life is....I can come before My King with the burden of my heart. He will accept me into His presence. He will hear the pleadings of my soul. He will answer me. He will answer with the sword.
"Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king." 1 Kings 3:24
Truly My King will speak into my soul in it's darkest times through the sword. The sword of the Spirit.
" For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb 4:12
Ps 119:105 "Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Ps 107:20 "He sent his word, and healed them"
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