Purpose in Your StrugglesSample

THE LORD TAKES NOTE OF YOU

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The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

-Genesis 21:1-7

Reflect

Do you understand the significance of the opening of Genesis 21? Take a look: “Then the Lord took note of Sarah …”

When it came time for the promised son to be born, the focus of God was not on Abraham, but on Sarah. The words of this verse refer to the direct intervention of God. Beyond the realm of human possibility Sarah became a mother. God focused his attention on Sarah and her part in the fulfillment of the promise that she would birth a son. God made an appointment with Sarah a year earlier—and sisters, God keeps his appointments!

God took note of a young military wife named Julie. She and her chaplain husband met in Bible college. Julie graduated a few years before he did and then worked full-time to support his seminary education. She patiently waited until finally they headed into what she thought would be joint ministry.

Her husband became a chaplain, and Julie was disillusioned as he sailed into his role and there was no place for her. He wore the uniform and was fulfilled in his work, and that made Julie angry.

“I remember shaking my fist at God,” she told me, “and asking him why it took a college degree to wash someone’s underwear! (I know, I know … not my best moment.) But I found the end of my rope and relinquished desire for my own ministry. A heart that has come to its end is a heart God can use, and he has used me! By the time we left our first assignment, I was convinced God had assigned me to that place, and my husband was the tag-along. In every posting, God has given me assignments. I have permission to minister to the people that I do because my husband is in the military; it would never work otherwise. God has given me favor and influence and a more powerful ministry than I ever envisioned. All glory to God!”

You can find hope in the story of God’s attention and intervention in the life of Sarah and in the life of a military sister like Julie. Your purposes in God’s plan as a wife are as important as God’s purposes for your military husband. God can assign your husband to the place you are supposed to be for his purpose. Be encouraged today—the Lord takes note of you!

Respond

Do you ever feel marginalized as a military wife? How can you encourage other military wives to know that God takes note of them?

Prayer

Lord, thank you for taking note of me! Help me to take note of others and affirm their value to you. Amen.