Genesis 29:31-35
When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he enabled her to conceive, but Rachel remained childless. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, “It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now.”
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too.” So she named him Simeon.
Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.” So he was named Levi.
She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.
We were early and when I saw where this church was I thought we might see some Geneva students there, maybe a youth rock & roll-style worship. No students back in school yet and more like a Southern Baptist format.
We joined a Sunday School class in session. A highlight for me was when four children came into the sanctuary after their class ended and I got a great smile from each of them. The children went to the front and told the congregation what they had learned today…it was most enjoyable.
There was a cross displayed, and though there was little need for signage in this small church the sign on the inside of the men’s room identifying “gentlemen” did make me chuckle.
I understand some from the church do walk about prayer in Beaver Falls: a great community service.
The pastor had questioned early in her ministry why she should praise God and the answer came, because He died for her. Not many others would do that, and certainly reason to praise. She stressed that Christ inhabits our praise and talked of how we must go through a time to get us to this time.
God uses these low times to prepare us for what He has planned for us ahead. We are not ready without these experiences.
I was sitting in our backyard garden writing and reflecting how I sometimes feel lacking in worship. I was watching the goldfinches, canaries, and hummingbirds enjoying my flowers and was reminded of God’s blessings and realized that true worship, like praise, should happen always.
We arrived early which means we entered the building and had the choice of interrupting the children’s Sunday School or the adult’s Sunday School. We chose the adult class, so we got to participate in the second half of the class.
The pastor stopped by and introduced herself and gave us each a hug; others were friendly but from a distance.
There was a lot of “giving a praise” via applause and innumerable “amens” and “hallelujahs” punctuated each sentence. The pastor said she was brought up in the Methodist church, but this service seemed much more like one from the Pentecostal tradition.
It was announced that the pastor and some others from the church conducted door-to-door prayer visits in the neighborhood last week.
The several children present participated in the service by singing and taking the offering.
The untitled message was introduced as being about praise, that we were created for the purpose of praising God, and that He inhabits the praises of His people. She stated that the enemy works to make it hard to praise God, but that he must flee at the name of Jesus.
The pastor used the story of Leah’s desire for her husband’s love to speak to the basic need for love in all of us. Following the birth of each of their first three sons, Leah was sure that Jacob would love her and become attached to her. By the time the fourth son was born, Leah must have realized that she would never get what she needed from Jacob and finally (“this time”) turned to God for the love she so earnestly sought. “This time,” instead of hoping for her husband’s love, she chose to praise God.
I find it truly ironic that it was that son, Judah, into whose tribe Jesus Christ was born. Perhaps the pastor is right and God does inhabit our praise, perhaps in more ways than we might ever think or imagine.
Father, we pray You will help this church continue to learn to praise and adore You always. May they minister to the students in the area, that they would both be blessed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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