The other day, while we were reading, we came upon two passages that really struck me. The first passage was Genesis 25:21. Isaac is praying for his wife. In the version we read, the text said that he was "pleading" for his wife. Isaac had been married to Rachel for almost twenty years and she had not borne him any children. In Isaac's time, childlessness was the greatest of misfortunes. Children were a blessing from God. To not be able to have children showed her to be deficient, culturally speaking, cursed by God, and potentially undesirable to her husband. It would have been totally appropriate for us to read that Rachel was pleading to God for a child. However, we see that it is Isaac interceding for his wife.
The second passage was Matthew 9:18. In this text a ruler's daughter had just died and he has come to Jesus with the hope that He could resurrect her. The man was a public authority figure who was probably well known to the crowd. That did not matter. His daughter was in need of life and he knew the only person who could give it to her was Jesus. Without any hesitation, he prostrates himself before the Lord and pleads for his daughter's life.
Directly speaking, these text have nothing to do with each other. However, in the context of our family devotions, they spoke a loud clear message to me; Jason, plead for your family. Isaac sought the Lord's favor for his wife. She was probably hurting, feeling misplaced shame and humiliation. She was inadequate as a wife and could not fulfill her duties. Worst of all, she knew that God had promised that from Abraham a mighty nation would arise and that could only happen if Isaac had children. Maybe she felt like God was disappointed with her. Who knows? But what we do know is that her husband went before the Lord and begged Him to grant them a child. He did not just pray for his wife, he pleaded for her, begging God to do the impossible. I believe this shows the tenderness Isaac had for his wife.
Many times we save pleading with God for times of immediate crisis. Isaac and Rachel were married for almost twenty years for God granted them a child. I do not believe this was Isaac's first time on his knees for his wife. I pray for my wife often, but I do not plead for her. Isaac was desperate before the Lord for Rachel. He wanted God to do something that transformed her. As her husband, I want God to do something that will transform Stacy, transform her into the image of His Son. The text left me asking myself, "Am I desperate for my wife?"
The passage in Matthew 9:18 reminded me of the peril of my children. God has blessed me with four adorable children who are at enmity with God (Romans 8:7-8). All of them are in need of redemption. As their father, God has commanded me (Deuteronomy 6:4-6; Psalm 78, Ephesians 6:1-3, Colossians 3:20-22) to faithfully live and proclaim the gospel in such a manner that they have every opportunity to genuinely know God, enjoy Him, and glorify Him forever. In essence, I am to go to Jesus and say, "My children are dead. Only you can give them life. I come before you and plead for you to grant them salvation." The same desperation the ruler had, the same faith, the same worship, is what I need for my children in pleading for them.
All of this of course comes from a heart that is transformed by the gospel. Isaac believed in God and His power, ability, mercy and compassion. The ruler believed that Christ was divine and was capable of giving life. A pleading heart comes from the overflow of a believing heart. A heart that loves God and knows that God loves him. Only through the love of God through Christ can I truly plead for my family. This year I hope more fathers plead for their families before the Lord. Maybe it is here we will see revival.
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