A Cry for Help and the Resilience to Fight

The palm bends as it cries out in the darkness unheard by the ones who are supposed to protect it. The screams at night goes unanswered, until the palm cries no more. The palm has found inward strength to stretch it branches in an upward direction. Finally, crying out to the only one who can completely wipe the tears from its eyes. Fore, life has been unfair in many ways. Yet, the palm continues to find reasons to stretch upward.

The Strength of the Palm

Storms constantly finds it presence with the palm. The palm often bends and by the grace of God, have not broken. The palm cries out though no one sees her tears. The palm is told by the multitude, you are strong, it’s going to be alright. Never in one of the conversations was the palm offered a helping hand. Only mere words of vain praise.

Tamar the Canaanite

The palm to which I refer to is Tamar, a Canaanite woman who was both resilient and brave enough to fight for her Due Season. The right to bear a child and to raise him up in the admonition of the Lord. Yes, Tamar is an epic example of God’s love for His children. This was a determined young woman who stayed focused on her goal of becoming a mother. In a life altering position, she had to wreak havoc on her own behalf or she would never be complete inside. Her desire was to be a mother, even if it consisted of total deception. Tamar had developed a ‘by any means necessary’ attitude.

Brokenness

In the beginning she withstood many physical blows and extreme treatment—by grace, it could not break her. Married to a man who only saw her as a tool to relieve his physical tension. The injustice was so bad, Er would waste his seed on the ground denying Tamar a chance at motherhood.

This wickedness continued until God cut him off the earth (Gen.38:7). After the grieving period she was given to the younger brother by the name of Onan. But, because he was required to produce an offspring for his brother, he too used the ground as a contraceptive. Onan refused to be the surrogate for his brother’s seed. Again, she was used for sexual gratification of another (Gen. 38:8).

Access Denied

Onan was simply not interested in customs (Deut. 25:5), nor did he care about how it made Tamar feel every time he spilled his seed on the ground. A child would insure her support in her ladder years and a place in the house of Judah. Relentlessly, Onan continued to use the ground as a contraceptive until Tamar became a widow, yet a second time (Gen. 38:10). Childless and alone; Tamar was broken in many categories. Though by grace, she was not cast aside. This was a perfect opportunity for her to be still and know (Ps. 46:10). God is greater than any crisis that may arise in our lives.

Betrayal

Judah now convinced that Tamar was some kind of jinx, hex, and surely the cause of him burying his two eldest sons, decided to send Tamar away (Gen. 38:11). He had no intentions of allowing his third and now only son to be hooked up to a curse. Deceptively so, Judah told Tamar to return to her father’s house and remain a widow until Shelah became of age, he would then be given as her husband. Once she learned Shelah had become of age and there was no marriage announcement (Gen. 38:14), Tamar was broken the more, but never defeated.

Sadly, it was a dark time in the life of Tamar; being a widowed twice over with no children, put her low on the picking scale. After the death of her mother-in-law, Judah being a widower, was on his way to the sheep-shear (Gen. 38:13). Tamar got word of her father-in-law’s journey, at that moment Tamar was done with crying and decided to go possess her summit: becoming a mother. The deceived had become the deceiver; she cooked up a ploy to trick Judah into giving her what was rightfully hers…motherhood.

Claiming Her Inheritance

Dressed as a prostitute Tamar laid in wait for Judah to pass by her as he traveled to Timnah (Gen. 38:14). When Judah laid eyes on her he had movement throughout his body, he hadn’t felt in quite some time. So, he invited her to let him come in to her (Gen. 38:15). Tamar agreed; she intended to get what was rightfully hers: motherhood. To succeed, she knew she needed evidence for leverage (Gen. 38:16). It had to be of great significance, because it was the only way she would retain her life and her destiny.

Quick-Quitted

So, she asked for his signet, cord and staff as a pledge until she received her price of a young goat (Gen. 38:18). After only one time of not having the seed spilled on the ground Tamar conceived twin sons. As soon as Judah heard that Tamar was pregnant, he decided to kill two birds with one stone. It was never Judah’s intend to give his last son to Tamar. Plus, he wanted her to be done way with for the deaths of his elder sons (Gen. 38:24). Reaching her climax, Tamar decided she was not taking it no more, she had proof she was right in the site of the Lord.

Ram in the Bush

Empirically, she had a ram in the bush sort-a-speak, she possessed personal articles of Judah (Gen. 38:25). Refusing the plight of death, Tamar sent the articles to Judah, in an instant Judah’s heart was reproved (Gen. 38:26). He knew he was the father of her unborn child; the child both of his sons refused to provide or the youngest son, Judah himself would not allow her the opportunity to even try to conceive with.

Twice Blessed

Subsequently, Tamar was blessed with double for her trouble; two sons, Perez and Zerah. Yes, she cried out to the Lord but she did not fail to act. In that, God is a redeeming God, but you are required to contribute to your own growth. I tell you, faith without works is dead (James 2:14).

God Has a Plan

We will never know God’s long-term plan, if we keep our eyes on our own predicament. Bad things happen, maintaining your integrity to God is important, if you want God to work it out for your good. Then you must stay the course. So, with much tenacity this young woman, maintained the course and kept her eyes on the prize (God’s provision) until she obtained it. Yes, her method may be categorized as unorthodox, but if you read the story, God used Tamar to redeem Judah back unto Himself. Though she shed many tears, she wasn’t scared to fight for what was due her. She like the palm though it is fragile; it does not break, even after treacherous storms. Tamar’s name as well as the palm tree, means heavily loaded with clusters or simply fertile.

In closing, the lower you get, the more God is going to bless you. Keep fighting, your due season shall come (Luke 12:42). Be still and know, you are of infinite value to the kingdom of God. God is your confidence and your protection…He never fails (Isa 55:10).