Beside the Well
I have always had a bad habit of reversing my words or saying right when I mean left or up when I mean down. Sometimes use the wrong name of a town or the wrong time when giving instructions. I’m a mess! My husband and children have learned to speak Gail-eeze. But that doesn’t make it any less frustrating when I am trying to get something across and then realize I have been using the wrong descriptive word. I lay it down to a touch of dyslexia, but as I get older, I fear dementia! Oh, that will drive us all crazy!
As we think about Hannah today, I believe we can feel her frustration as she pours out her heart before the Lord in words she cannot even utter aloud. In great anguish of soul for the persecution she was enduring and her deep desire for a child, she kneels at the altar knowing God is her only hope.
Then, the priest comes with a snide comment that must have cut her to the quick, “How long have you been drunk? Stop drinking, woman.”
Immediately defending herself and trying to explain the misunderstanding, she feels dismissed as the priest replies, “Go home. God will answer your prayer.” He didn’t even ask what that prayer was. He didn’t seek to give her comfort or encouragement, just a curt comment, which I believe was his pat answer.
But God answered her prayer and brought it right back to the priest when she showed up a few years later to keep her vow. Don’t you think Eli wished he had paid more attention years ago? His sons are grown, and now he has a small child to raise in the temple.
One of the comforting things about Hannah’s story is that she seems to hold no resentment. She was content to have given birth to Samuel and willing to keep her vow. Her prayer in chapter two of 1 Samuel is a beautiful expression of her confidence. “There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee; neither is there any rock like our God” (1 Samuel 2:2).
Hannah’s confidence was not in Eli, it was in God. Though man misunderstood her; God understood her heart. He knew her sincerity and her need.
That tells me that even when I don’t know the words to pray, even when my heart is broken, even when I think I’m not making sense, the Holy Spirit will interpret for me. That is exactly what is promised in Romans 8:26, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
I’m so glad God speaks Gail-eeze!
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Week Six - Something Worth Seeing
Beside the Well
Ruth’s name means worth seeing. I love that definition because it reminds me of the worth in Ruth’s story.
But before we look at Ruth’s life, let me drift away for just a bit. One of the saddest things I read in the Bible is Ecclesiastes 7:27-28, “Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.”
And what does that mean? One Bible commentator said Solomon was looking for someone who could help him in his search for satisfaction. He could only find one man in a thousand, but he never came across even one woman who could provide the fulfillment for which he was searching.
Another commentator made note that Solomon had a thousand wives and concubines, so he interprets the verse to say that none of his wives brought him fulfillment.
Charles Swindoll says, “Perhaps the reason this occurred was because his preoccupation with sexual intimacy robbed him of the opportunity to experience the deep joys of marriage with one mate.” (p 73, Living on the Ragged Edge, Charles Swindoll)
For whatever reason, Solomon found it hard to find the Proverbs 31 woman his mother described. She set the bar very high preparing her son for seeking a wife. I don’t know of any woman who meets all those standards without exception, including myself.
However, though Solomon said a good woman was hard to locate, our Lord made sure to record several in Scripture. Elizabeth, Mary, and Priscilla, to name a few, all point us to the qualities necessary as women of God. Qualities like faith, submission, obedience, and service revealing that the Proverbs woman can be alive not only in the women of the Bible but also in us today.
Ruth is another of these women worth seeing. In her story, we read of a young Moabite girl who fell in love with the God of the Hebrews and behaved herself wisely in every instance. Though she had been widowed at a young age, desperately poor, and a stranger in town, God moved in a miraculous way making her a progenitor of our Lord Jesus Christ. He found her worthy.
“Lord, let me be that one in a thousand. May I be found faithful and live a life worth seeing; bringing honor to Your name.”
NOTE: As I start 2019, the blogs in Beside the Well, are a collection of excerpts and thoughts from my forthcoming eBook, Bible Women. I hope to have it ready later this year.
The book will be a more complete study of the twelve Old Testament women from these 2019 blogs. There will be a basic textual chronology and devotional thoughts, but also an outline with Scripture references for those wanting to use them for study or teaching.
Please pray with me as I work toward this completion. I’d encourage you to go to the Beside the Well blog site and become a follower, so you don’t miss out on any news! https://ggritts.blogspot.com/ and please share the blog with those around you!
The book will be a more complete study of the twelve Old Testament women from these 2019 blogs. There will be a basic textual chronology and devotional thoughts, but also an outline with Scripture references for those wanting to use them for study or teaching.
Please pray with me as I work toward this completion. I’d encourage you to go to the Beside the Well blog site and become a follower, so you don’t miss out on any news! https://ggritts.blogspot.com/ and please share the blog with those around you!
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Week Five - When Opportunity Knocks
Beside the Well
When opportunity knocks, we are told to seize it! That is certainly what Rebecca did. There seemed no hesitation in her actions once she knew there were a prospective husband and a chance for adventure.
It makes me wonder what caused her to be so ready to leave home. When you read the rest of her story, you can start to put a few things together. Her brother is Laban: the same Laban who later tricked Jacob into marrying Leah, and the same one who changed Jacob’s wages three times. So maybe Rebecca wanted to escape her wily brother?
My surmising may be correct or not, but whatever her reason, Rebecca jumped at the opportunity to leave home and was graciously received by Isaac as comfort after the loss of his mother, Sarah.
The next time Rebecca grabbed hold of an opportunity did not come out so well. When she realized Isaac was about to bestow the family blessing on Esau, she moved quickly to secure that blessing for her favorite son, Jacob. She directed her son to deceive his father and even participated further by stewing the pottage that would taste exactly as Isaac remembered. Sadly, this decision meant she never saw her son, Jacob, again. He had to flee for his life. And, where did he go? To Laban—the same place she had so readily left years ago.
Rebecca made two major life choices. The first choice sees her casting herself upon the direction of God. Even her father, Bethuel, and her brother, Laban, agreed that the offer of marriage came from the Lord. There was no deceit, just an arranged marriage as was common in their culture.
But her second choice was entirely different. Here we see her taking things into her own hands. God has already promised her that the older would serve the younger (Genesis25:23), but for some reason, she panics and starts scheming.
I wonder how God would have worked that out had she not prematurely intervened. And, I also know that God knew what she would do. Isn’t that odd? He knew what would happen and knew she would move to make it happen. So, does that make her actions right? Was she justified in helping Jacob steal the blessing from Esau? I guess that is something we will have to ask in heaven.
For us, though, there are plenty of Bible admonitions about waiting upon the Lord, yielding to His timing, and warnings about taking things into our own hands. So, when opportunity knocks, we are best to look carefully to determine if it is of the Lord, or of our own making.
It makes me wonder what caused her to be so ready to leave home. When you read the rest of her story, you can start to put a few things together. Her brother is Laban: the same Laban who later tricked Jacob into marrying Leah, and the same one who changed Jacob’s wages three times. So maybe Rebecca wanted to escape her wily brother?
My surmising may be correct or not, but whatever her reason, Rebecca jumped at the opportunity to leave home and was graciously received by Isaac as comfort after the loss of his mother, Sarah.
The next time Rebecca grabbed hold of an opportunity did not come out so well. When she realized Isaac was about to bestow the family blessing on Esau, she moved quickly to secure that blessing for her favorite son, Jacob. She directed her son to deceive his father and even participated further by stewing the pottage that would taste exactly as Isaac remembered. Sadly, this decision meant she never saw her son, Jacob, again. He had to flee for his life. And, where did he go? To Laban—the same place she had so readily left years ago.
Rebecca made two major life choices. The first choice sees her casting herself upon the direction of God. Even her father, Bethuel, and her brother, Laban, agreed that the offer of marriage came from the Lord. There was no deceit, just an arranged marriage as was common in their culture.
But her second choice was entirely different. Here we see her taking things into her own hands. God has already promised her that the older would serve the younger (Genesis25:23), but for some reason, she panics and starts scheming.
I wonder how God would have worked that out had she not prematurely intervened. And, I also know that God knew what she would do. Isn’t that odd? He knew what would happen and knew she would move to make it happen. So, does that make her actions right? Was she justified in helping Jacob steal the blessing from Esau? I guess that is something we will have to ask in heaven.
For us, though, there are plenty of Bible admonitions about waiting upon the Lord, yielding to His timing, and warnings about taking things into our own hands. So, when opportunity knocks, we are best to look carefully to determine if it is of the Lord, or of our own making.
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Week Four - Spurned
Beside the Well
Two women in the same house usually breed trouble, especially when lines get crossed and one feels they have the upper hand. In Hagar’s case, once she realized she was carrying the baby Sarai and Abram could not conceive, pride took root in her heart and she began scorning Sarai’s barrenness.
There you have it—pride. Though there must have been a measure of friendship between the two before the conception of Ishmael, pride broke the relationship between Hagar and Sarai. And, it was also pride that brought Sarai to deal harshly with her trusted Egyptian maid.
Finally, Hagar could take it no more, so she ran away.
Hard as this was, I think the instruction from the angel was even more difficult. “Go back and submit yourself to Sarai.” Oh, the humiliation! The fear of Sarai’s response. The vulnerability of placing yourself back under the pressure and stress of living where you are not wanted. Hagar went back, humbled herself, and gave birth, but that is not the end of her story.
Her new baby son, Ishmael, was not to be the true heir. Though the Lord’s promise had encouraged her earlier, it was inevitable that once Isaac was born, she would face rejection again. And it came. When Sarah saw Ishmael mocking (probably laughing at two elderly people with a new baby), she cast out both the mother and her teenage son.
As Hagar sat by the bush in the wilderness, she knew the deep cutting feeling of being spurned by Sarah. She had been booted out, thrust away and rejected, and not only her, but her beloved son as well.
I can only imagine her feelings of utter helplessness. She was still only a slave, not a wife. Her son was not going to be the heir, though he was the first-born. She had no power or position and could do nothing more than weep in abandonment.
Spurned is a word we rarely use any more, but it is something we still experience. To spurn means to snub or reject. It has the idea of thrusting something away with the foot—to boot out. And that is what happened to Hagar—she was booted out!
Helpless situations are soul-destroying. When you lose a job or experience divorce, it knocks your confidence and hope. It’s like seeing your life wiped from the board. You must write the whole thing over again—rebuild.
My heart goes out to Hagar. Her story is not one of happiness, but her story doesn’t end there. God was with Hagar; the first time with promise and instruction, and the second time with comfort and provision.
I find that even in the darkest times of life there is hope and promise. When I feel scorned, I need not look back, but look up and look forward. I choose to see it as a closed door. As I sit by the bush in abandonment, I am reminded God does have a plan. I will see things differently after the tears.
Hagar adjusted her eyes and moved on. So can we.
There you have it—pride. Though there must have been a measure of friendship between the two before the conception of Ishmael, pride broke the relationship between Hagar and Sarai. And, it was also pride that brought Sarai to deal harshly with her trusted Egyptian maid.
Finally, Hagar could take it no more, so she ran away.
Hard as this was, I think the instruction from the angel was even more difficult. “Go back and submit yourself to Sarai.” Oh, the humiliation! The fear of Sarai’s response. The vulnerability of placing yourself back under the pressure and stress of living where you are not wanted. Hagar went back, humbled herself, and gave birth, but that is not the end of her story.
Her new baby son, Ishmael, was not to be the true heir. Though the Lord’s promise had encouraged her earlier, it was inevitable that once Isaac was born, she would face rejection again. And it came. When Sarah saw Ishmael mocking (probably laughing at two elderly people with a new baby), she cast out both the mother and her teenage son.
As Hagar sat by the bush in the wilderness, she knew the deep cutting feeling of being spurned by Sarah. She had been booted out, thrust away and rejected, and not only her, but her beloved son as well.
I can only imagine her feelings of utter helplessness. She was still only a slave, not a wife. Her son was not going to be the heir, though he was the first-born. She had no power or position and could do nothing more than weep in abandonment.
Spurned is a word we rarely use any more, but it is something we still experience. To spurn means to snub or reject. It has the idea of thrusting something away with the foot—to boot out. And that is what happened to Hagar—she was booted out!
Helpless situations are soul-destroying. When you lose a job or experience divorce, it knocks your confidence and hope. It’s like seeing your life wiped from the board. You must write the whole thing over again—rebuild.
My heart goes out to Hagar. Her story is not one of happiness, but her story doesn’t end there. God was with Hagar; the first time with promise and instruction, and the second time with comfort and provision.
I find that even in the darkest times of life there is hope and promise. When I feel scorned, I need not look back, but look up and look forward. I choose to see it as a closed door. As I sit by the bush in abandonment, I am reminded God does have a plan. I will see things differently after the tears.
Hagar adjusted her eyes and moved on. So can we.
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Week Three - A Spa Day
Beside the Well
Do you enjoy a trip to the spa? That massage feels so good on weary muscles, doesn’t it? And, having a facial and your nails done lifts your spirits. I've enjoyed many trips to spas in the Philippines, China, England, and the USA. Each one holds a special flavor and leaves me feeling refreshed.
As I read the story of Sarai and Abraham wandering around in the deserts of the Middle East, I was impressed with the fact that twice the Lord parked Sarai in the best spas of the day, first in the court of Pharaoh, and then, in the harem of Abimelech.
According to history, the Egyptians used water vapors and mud wraps from the Dead Sea. Cleopatra indulged in a variety of beauty treatments including hot and cold baths, massages, and a variety of oil treatments. You can believe Sarai enjoyed many of the same while she was away from her nomadic life.
When I think about her situation, I see the gracious, loving hand of the Lord helping her cope. After leaving the comforts of Ur, which was a huge and well-accomplished city, to live as a nomad, I’m sure she needed some tender loving care once in a while.
I’ve seen the Lord do the same for me. It’s like He puts his arms around me and says, “I know it’s hard right now, but I want you to know I haven’t forgotten where you are. Let me lavish you with a bit of special treatment.” He takes me to luxurious places to stay, gives opportunities I could have never dreamed, and allows me to visit places of outstanding beauty.
My desert journey is nothing like Sarai’s, but my Lord is equally as gracious to a travel-weary daughter. These times of oasis are refreshing and invigorating. Like love tokens from the Lord, they help me to carry on.
Dear one, you can be sure the Lord knows exactly where you are and what you are experiencing today. He will not leave you to struggle alone and waste away in the desert. Keep moving forward, that spa might be just around the corner!
As I read the story of Sarai and Abraham wandering around in the deserts of the Middle East, I was impressed with the fact that twice the Lord parked Sarai in the best spas of the day, first in the court of Pharaoh, and then, in the harem of Abimelech.
According to history, the Egyptians used water vapors and mud wraps from the Dead Sea. Cleopatra indulged in a variety of beauty treatments including hot and cold baths, massages, and a variety of oil treatments. You can believe Sarai enjoyed many of the same while she was away from her nomadic life.
When I think about her situation, I see the gracious, loving hand of the Lord helping her cope. After leaving the comforts of Ur, which was a huge and well-accomplished city, to live as a nomad, I’m sure she needed some tender loving care once in a while.
I’ve seen the Lord do the same for me. It’s like He puts his arms around me and says, “I know it’s hard right now, but I want you to know I haven’t forgotten where you are. Let me lavish you with a bit of special treatment.” He takes me to luxurious places to stay, gives opportunities I could have never dreamed, and allows me to visit places of outstanding beauty.
My desert journey is nothing like Sarai’s, but my Lord is equally as gracious to a travel-weary daughter. These times of oasis are refreshing and invigorating. Like love tokens from the Lord, they help me to carry on.
Dear one, you can be sure the Lord knows exactly where you are and what you are experiencing today. He will not leave you to struggle alone and waste away in the desert. Keep moving forward, that spa might be just around the corner!
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Week Two - Three Nameless Wives
Beside the Well
It is an odd feeling when you notice that without someone else beside you, no one knows who you are. I come across this all the time. I can go to a shop and come in and come out with others recognizing I was ever there, but let my husband go with me and all of a sudden people start talking and taking notice.
Sometimes I like my anonymity; I’m happy not be noticed; it makes me free to get in and out of places and not waste time chatting. But other times it hurts my heart to think I am only known as Tom’s wife.
The Bible mentions three men of significance, Noah, Lot, and Job. Each was married, but though their wives played a part in the Bible story, for some reason, the Lord decided to leave them anonymous.
Even with their anonymity, these women left an example and imprint on history. Noah’s wife was able to keep her reaction and thoughts about the epic boat journey to herself. Lot’s wife was salted with love of the world, and Job’s wife opened her mouth in disgust for every generation that followed to read.
The example of these women teaches me that even if I think no one notices me, my reactions and choices affect those around me. For example, the cashier might not recognize me without my husband, but if I respond to her with kindness and gratitude, she will remember. If I am harsh or curt, she will not forget, and the next time I am in with my husband, she will put two and two together. Her thoughts might be, “How can such a nice man have such a hateful wife?” That’s not how I want to be thought of, do you?
I think it’s a matter of pride that makes me grimace when I feel slighted. And, I’d have to admit it is also stubbornness. I can be too stubborn to make an effort to speak to people if I’m in a hurry or too thoughtless to think that a smile or a kind word could make a dreary day brighter for someone else. I need to be more considerate. Not so I am noticed, but that I notice others.
If I am going to remain anonymously as Tom’s wife, then I want to be remembered as a wife who spread light and love as she went along. And when they see us together, they will think, “What a lovely couple. What was her name?”
Sometimes I like my anonymity; I’m happy not be noticed; it makes me free to get in and out of places and not waste time chatting. But other times it hurts my heart to think I am only known as Tom’s wife.
The Bible mentions three men of significance, Noah, Lot, and Job. Each was married, but though their wives played a part in the Bible story, for some reason, the Lord decided to leave them anonymous.
Even with their anonymity, these women left an example and imprint on history. Noah’s wife was able to keep her reaction and thoughts about the epic boat journey to herself. Lot’s wife was salted with love of the world, and Job’s wife opened her mouth in disgust for every generation that followed to read.
The example of these women teaches me that even if I think no one notices me, my reactions and choices affect those around me. For example, the cashier might not recognize me without my husband, but if I respond to her with kindness and gratitude, she will remember. If I am harsh or curt, she will not forget, and the next time I am in with my husband, she will put two and two together. Her thoughts might be, “How can such a nice man have such a hateful wife?” That’s not how I want to be thought of, do you?
I think it’s a matter of pride that makes me grimace when I feel slighted. And, I’d have to admit it is also stubbornness. I can be too stubborn to make an effort to speak to people if I’m in a hurry or too thoughtless to think that a smile or a kind word could make a dreary day brighter for someone else. I need to be more considerate. Not so I am noticed, but that I notice others.
If I am going to remain anonymously as Tom’s wife, then I want to be remembered as a wife who spread light and love as she went along. And when they see us together, they will think, “What a lovely couple. What was her name?”
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Week One - The Adventure
Our Christmas was spent in Valencia, Spain with our youngest son and his family who have moved there as missionaries. What fun seeing their new culture and spending time with his girls. Grandparenting is always an adventure. The New Year found us in Atlanta with our oldest son and his fiance. More grandparenting is on the agenda here as well! In a couple of weeks we will head to Virginia to visit our oldest daughter and her little girl, Lucy. Oh, and our son-in-law, too! Then we will head toward the middle of America to see the remainder of the family. Gotta love missionary life!
Truly, it is a blessing to be allowed to serve the Lord and to watch Him at work. As I look at these next six months I am reminded that my times are in His very capable hands. I might not know what all is going to happen, but He does. I can rest in that.
Resting in the Lord is so vital for a healthy and happy spiritual life. The opposite is anxiety and fear. I don't like to live there. It is much more exciting to live with hopeful expectation and faith making every day an adventure with the Lord. It is going to be fun to share with you all of the things God has planned for us as we discover them!
Can I ask you to keep a few things in prayer? Safe travels....good health...open doors for ministry and reporting to churches...meeting of financial needs as we travel...and for us to be used of God to encourage others.
I'm excited about 2019. Trust you are as well. Let's be asking the Lord to carry us all through safely as we recognize His hand in all things.
For some fun....listen to the reading of my two children's books on Storytime with Mr. Whiskers on YouTube! Messy Hair Game and Grandpa's Gift are the story names. And make sure to get yourself a copy - or a copy for a little girl or two!
See you next week - Gail
Truly, it is a blessing to be allowed to serve the Lord and to watch Him at work. As I look at these next six months I am reminded that my times are in His very capable hands. I might not know what all is going to happen, but He does. I can rest in that.
Resting in the Lord is so vital for a healthy and happy spiritual life. The opposite is anxiety and fear. I don't like to live there. It is much more exciting to live with hopeful expectation and faith making every day an adventure with the Lord. It is going to be fun to share with you all of the things God has planned for us as we discover them!
Can I ask you to keep a few things in prayer? Safe travels....good health...open doors for ministry and reporting to churches...meeting of financial needs as we travel...and for us to be used of God to encourage others.
I'm excited about 2019. Trust you are as well. Let's be asking the Lord to carry us all through safely as we recognize His hand in all things.
For some fun....listen to the reading of my two children's books on Storytime with Mr. Whiskers on YouTube! Messy Hair Game and Grandpa's Gift are the story names. And make sure to get yourself a copy - or a copy for a little girl or two!
See you next week - Gail
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