Tamar - Her Legacy Of Prayer

Tamar - Her Legacy Of Prayer

Judah [was] the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar.

— Matthew 1:3 (GENEALOGY OF CHRIST)

REFLECT ON:	Genesis 38.
PRAISE GOD:	That he allowed his own Son to be intimately linked with fallen human beings from whom he was descended.
OFFER THANKS:	That God can use everyone and everything to bring about a good result.
CONFESS:	Any tendency you may have to judge others with a double standard, as Judah did Tamar.
ASK GOD:	To take any desperation you may be feeling and replace it with hope, calling to mind the verse in Jeremiah 29:11: “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ”

Lift Your Heart

If you’ve never sketched out your family tree, make an effort to trace your heritage, going back at least four or five generations — more if you have the time and energy. Ask older relatives to supply as much information as possible about your ancestors. Pay special attention to the women in your family tree. Take notes on everything you discover. Then transcribe all the information into a keepsake book that can be passed along to your own children after you’re gone. Include any photos and news clippings you can find. You may discover some fascinating insights into your family background.

Lord, you formed me in my mother’s womb. You knew then what every single day of my life would be like. You saw the great things and the hard things, the joy and the sorrow. Right now I come before you with the situation (or the memory) with which I have not yet made peace. As I look back at painful circumstances, help me to realize that you were present even in the midst of them. And now, as I surrender them to you, help me to sense your healing presence in my life.