Praying for my Wife

Gen 25:21a "Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife..."

Abraham and Sarah were dead. Isaac and Ishmael (along with a bunch of other kids that Abraham had…see verses 1-4) were the guys who were the firstborn: Ishmael through Hagar and Isaac through Sarah. Ishmael was busy and had twelve sons. Isaac, on the other hand, had no kids. This inability to have children was a real problem with this family…and Rebecca, Isaac's wife, felt it. She felt the pressure to have children. She saw what was going on with Isaac's half brother, how the kids were popping out, and that she was "barren". Anyone who has ever gone through this knows how tough it is. It seems like everyone around you is having children and you try and try and go to the doctor and do the testing and the timing and all of that stuff and still, no kids. Rebecca was feeling it, and she was obviously telling her husband how she felt. Isaac saw it. Isaac heard it. Isaac knew how she was struggling. So what did Isaac do? He "…pleaded with the Lord for his wife…". Isaac "entreated" with the Lord (KJV). Another word is "supplicated". In other words, Isaac prayed. He begged God to do something for Rebecca. He saw what his wife was going through and he took the problem to God. The result: God heard his plea and Rebecca conceived twins. (Esau and Jacob.)

The thing that hits me is the heart of Isaac and the response of Isaac. He loved his wife and he did the best thing he knew to do…pray for her.

Do I pray for my wife? Yes. Everyday. The real question is: "Do I plead with God on behalf of my wife?" Do I come to God and not just give Him the standard: "Lord, be with Georgann. Strengthen her, give her wisdom. Direct her steps. Protect her." All good stuff, but there is more. If I know what she is going through (and that is another question, do I really know what she is going through?) then do I come to the throne room of heaven and plead with God for her? I should. I must. I know some of the stuff that she is dealing with right now in not being able to tutor some kids next year. I know that this is hard for her. I know that she is disappointed. I need to go to God on her behalf and beg Him to show her what He is doing…what is next. I also need to plead with Him to give her direction a she leads the women's ministry at church…and I am sure that there is so much more. Maybe I should ask her. Now there's an idea!

The measure of my love for my wife is not just shown by what I say or do for her, but in how I pray for her.