“Whenever a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she remembers the anguish no more, for joy that a child has been born into the world.” John 16:21
In chapter one of Acts Jesus commands the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the baptism of the Holy Ghost. In the Greek the word wait is simply defined as “stick around awhile” or tarry. But in the Hebrew the word wait is a different story. It can mean to spin or writhe around in pain as in travail. So, what is travail? Travail is the pang or pain of giving birth. It’s the labor pains and the time of expelling the baby from the body.
I look back on this year as being a year of enduring, even sorrow or pain. It hasn’t been an easy year but there has been a purpose in it. God has brought us to the place of birthing this next level of ministry that He has for us. We are now at a time and place as a body to bring forth this joy!
The labor of childbirth is not fun. It is painful and messy and for most long and exhausting but the joy that comes forth is worth it all and the sorrow of travail is not remembered.
Any woman who has given birth has experienced this to some degree. Men, if you have ever worked and strived to bring forth a dream or a passion you also have experienced this. Mary, the mother of Jesus accomplished this very thing at the birth of our Savior. It is a natural process.
Come on! We’ve made it this far, we’ve carried this baby and now it’s time. There’s no turning back. This baby is coming at the appropriate time set for it to be delivered. We don’t want to rush it and neither can we hold it off forever.
The body of Christ seems to be in a holding pattern of waiting and transition. The earth is in travail. Things are being brought forth and time is being accomplished.
Remember sorrow may last for the night but joy cometh in the morning!
Pastor Tura
