God Knows Life

457 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. What do we do when we see the word “therefore” in Scripture? We go back a couple of verses to see what the “therefore” is “there for.” Something happened in the preceding verses to cause God to close the womb of Michal. Wait a minute. You mean God can open and close wombs? Yes, He has the power to do this. He is the Creator of all life. He opened the womb of the aged Sarah, and she gave birth to Isaac. He opened the womb of Leah and she gave birth to Reuben. He opened the womb of Hannah and she gave birth to Samuel. He closed all the wombs in the house of Abimelech (Gen 20:18) It is as He says in De 32:39 'Now see that I, even I, am He, And there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.' In Michal's case, this closing of the womb was a judgment of God against her. She would not experience the “reward of God” spoken of in Ps 127:3 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward.” I fear that the barren women of today can read this passage and assume that they have committed some terrible sin against God and that He is punishing them by closing up their wombs. Don't go there beloved. Don't mess with the sovereignty of God! The Holy Spirit included this incident in Scripture to show how displeased God was with Michal's attitude toward David's expression of joy. This punishment was His prerogative. This passage is not to be taken as God's preferred method of punishment for a sinning woman. If that were the case, there would be no more open wombs! All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. God knows life. He knows when to bring it, and He knows when to end it. Ps 139:16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. He has purposes for the shortest life and the longest. Let us learn that truth, and believe, that in the matter of life and death, He knows best. Father, thank You for the gift of life. Help us always to remember that it is indeed....a gift.