"Then Rizpah daughter of Aiah, the mother of two of the men, spread burlap on a rock and stayed there the entire harvest season."--2 Samuel 21:10(NLT)
The story of Rizpah is a heart-wrenching account of the depths of a mother's love even in the face of unspeakable tragedy and heartbreak. When you have an opportunity, please take some time to read it. In a nutshell, Rizpah was one of King Saul's concubines. After King Saul violated a long-standing agreement with the Gibeonites, the Gibeonites would only be appeased by the execution of Saul's sons. This meant Rizpah's two sons and five of Saul's other sons were publically executed and hanged. After their deaths, Rizpah alone stood by her slain sons for five months valiantly fighting off scavenging birds and wild beasts from eating the decomposing, rotting corpses.
If there is any encouragement from this horrible story, in my opinion, it would be that Rizpah's acts did not go unnoticed. In fact, her efforts were brought to King David's attention. When David heard how Rizpah guarded her slain children for five months, he ordered their bodies be brought down from the mount and properly buried. I wonder what this did for Rizpah's heart?
This blog post may not apply to everyone, perhaps only a select few. But as I reflect on the story of Rizpah, I think about the modern-day Rizpahs. The moms who may go unnoticed, unrecognized, forgotten, and uncelebrated but nonetheless committed to valiantly fighting for a child. Perhaps there is a mom out there whose child is prodigal or spiritually lost. The mom of a heroin addict. The mom of an incarcerated child. The mom of an estranged son or daughter. Perhaps there is a mom fighting for the memory of a child--a child stillborn or miscarried. Perhaps a military mom whose son or daughter has given the ultimate sacrifice. The mom of a child lost at the hand of violence or terror.
Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, we come before you with great humility and sensitivity for those moms who may be hurting today for any number of reasons. We thank you that you are the God of abundant mercy, grace, and compassion. You look at us with eyes of love and acceptance. Even when we may have been ostracized or forgotten by people, we are not forgotten of you. You continually beckon us to come close to you. Only you know the depths of hurt, pain, and despair, and sorrow. Only you know the silent tears that have been cried in the darkness of night. Thank you that those tears have not gone unnoticed. Thank you for bottling each and every tear that has been shed according to your word in Psalm 56:8.
We come interceding for moms who may be riddled with guilt and shame. Moms who have experienced unspeakable humiliation, scorn, judgment, and ridicule. We pray that you would minister healing. We pray for moms who have been robbed of sleep due to worry, tormenting thoughts, nightmares, and night terrors. We pray that you would minister peace.
God, we know that there are things we cannot change, but yet the pain remains. Please pour out your Spirit upon each every mom. Give them what they need. Every need is different, but you, in your infinite wisdom know what is needed. Heal every wound. Bind every hut. Arrest the spirit of self-blame, accusation, despair, hopelessness, rage, unresolved hurt and anger. Speak peace to every heart. We receive your comfort, your love, and hope. In Jesus' name, amen and so be it according to your word.
