A story is told of a woman
by the name of Hannah. She was beautiful, and when time was right she married a
man who absolutely adored her. Everything a woman dreamed of, Hannah had-
all apart from this one thing: she could not have a child. Year in, year out
she and her husband tried but their efforts were futile. At first it was OK
because they were newlywed, but after months, that soon turned into years
Hannah began to despair. Her husband’s love for her never wavered and he
continued to reassure her, letting her know that she was all he would ever
need, but you see, inasmuch as he loved her, he could not even begin to
understand her emptiness, and her pain.
Now Hannah had a co-wife,
her name was Peninnah. She may not have been very easy on the eye, but boy was
she able to bear children! She was able to do the one thing that Hannah
had been unable to, and with a lot of ease at that. Day after day Hannah
watched as Peninnah’s children grew and jealously noticed the sparkle they
brought to her husband’s eyes. It hurt Hannah so much whenever she saw
the smirk on Peninnah’s face; she needed not say much…her demeanor spoke
everything that her words failed to. Hannah envied Peninnah and her
ability to conceive so effortlessly. Peninnah in turn saw Hannah’s struggle and
taunted her mercilessly for it because you see, bareness was a source of great
humiliation and shame for a woman in those days. Her mockery pierced right to the core of who Hannah was, and only God saw the silent tears she shed.
The pain that Hannah
carried in her heart became the impetus that pushed her to her knees. Hannah
prayed. She went to the temple whenever she could to offer her sacrifice to
God, asking for nothing else, but for him to bless her with just but one child.
One day, the Priest found her praying. She had cried herself sore…her voice was
gone, and only her lips were seen to be moving. Surely, she must be drunk! He
thought to himself and asked her as much. But in despair Hannah told him her
story, or at least the little she had the courage to share. Well, as the story
goes, in the fullness of time God remembered Hannah. She conceived and gave
birth to one of the greatest prophets of all time. God remembered Hannah! He
covered her nakedness and her shame. He wiped her tears.
I have been waiting on God
for something for a while now- not a baby like Hannah, but I have needed it almost
as much. And just so you know, I am writing this in faith and with great
expectation in my heart, knowing that God will make my wait worth every
minute...every tear…every prayer that I have whispered. If you have ever had to
wait on God for something then you will agree that it is not easy. Sometimes
you wait, and wait, and wait…and then when you finally hear from God He tells
you to...wait some more. In these times I have found my patience wearing
thin, but somehow God by His grace breathes new life into me, and helps me wait
it out.
For some of you reading
this, your ‘baby’ could be your desire to get married, or maybe your desperate
hunt for a job...it could even be a real baby like Hannah, and people keep
reminding you; they make it so apparent that you are still not where you ought
to be. I remember attending tonnes of wedding as a single lady. I sang at most
of them, and was a bridesmaid in one, too many! I enjoyed being a part of these
ceremonies but I absolutely detested how people- and especially the married
ones, kept asking when I would get married! They just would not let up. Some
did it out of genuine concern (lol!), but most others had the Peninnah
Syndrome- that need to taunt others and remind them how ‘late’ they are, and
how time is not on their side. But you see beloved, your Peninnah never gets to
know when the tide is changing; she does not realize when God starts to shift
things around for you, and oh when He does…!
As you continue to wait on
God, this is one thing I know beyond any shadow of doubt: He is faithful and
true to His word. He watches over it to perform it. Sometimes He allows us to
wait on Him because it builds our muscle and puts us in a place of total
dependence on Him. For every dream there has to be a process, and this
process will always serve as a reminder of the priceless value in a God-given
dream.
God I thank you that you
have allowed my faith to be tested in ways I never imagined. I thank you for
the years I have been in waiting, trusting you to bring my dreams to pass
because had I not waited I may never have understood the matchless value
in your blessings. At this time I pray for anyone reading this, that is in desperate
need for a miracle. I am joining my faith with theirs knowing fully well that you are
getting ready to blow their mind, and all those who have mocked them will be
silenced for good. I thank you God because you do over and abundantly above all
that we could ask or think.
The psalmist David could
not have said it better, “Wait on the Lord, be of good cheer and He will
strengthen your heart”. And then my favorite part is when he goes on to add,
“…wait, again I say wait…on the Lord”.
Peninnah had her time, but
now...the tide is changing.
Kambua M.
