Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

ALMOST HOME

This entry was posted on 03-22-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS.

"Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor" (Gen. 35:16 NKJV). Jacob and Rachel were almost home when she went into hard labor. I remember when our first child was born. Evelyn's hard labor frightened me but there were good nurses present there at Grape Community Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa to help her deliver our little Mindy. Rachel's midwife tried to encourage her with these words: "Do not fear; you will have this son also" (v. 17). I remember trying to encourage my wife during her time of labor. I felt so helpless. But our story turned out much better that this one. "And it was so, as her soul was departing (for she died) that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin" (v. 18). I am amazed that Rachel could hold on long enough not only to bear her son but to give him a name. It must have been one sad day.

So many thing happen to us "when there is but a little distance to go." I think of older Christian people who are "almost home." I want to encourage them to continue to be "faithful unto death." I don't want them to miss out on the glories of heaven that they have looked forward to all their lives. Our labor will not be in vain if we continue in faith to the end of the journey.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to labor for You until the day You call us home. And use us to encourage older Christians to do the same. Through Christ we pray.