God, even when he does not comply with our wishes, is still attentive and kindly to our prayers, so that hope relying upon his word will never disappoint us. But believers need to be sustained by this patience, since they would not long stand unless they relied upon it. For the Lord proves his people by no light trials…but often drives them to extremity, and allows them, so driven, to lie a long time in the mire before he gives them any taste of his sweetness… What could they do here but be discouraged and rush into despair if they were not, when afflicted, desolate, and already half-dead, revived by the thought that God has regard for them and will bring an end to their present misfortunes? Nevertheless, however they stand upon the assurance of that hope, they do not meanwhile cease to pray, for unless there be in prayer a constancy to persevere, we pray in vain. (Institutes, 3.20.52) John Calvin
Last evening our sermon passage was found in Genesis 38. It is an ugly passage. It tells the story of Judah, his sons Er, Onan, and Shelah, and Er's wife Tamar. Judah marries a Canaanite woman and has three sons. His sons are so evil that God kills both Er and Onan for their wickedness. Because Judah fears the loss of his remaining son, he fails to fulfill his obligation to Tamar of marrying her to his last son so that an heir might be raised up to Er. Seeing the failure of her father-in-law, Tamar takes matters into her own hand by dressing as a prostitute and sleeping with Judah. Judah, unaware of with whom he has had sex, subsequently hears that Tamar is pregnant by immorality. He demands that she be brought out and burned for her crime (can anyone say "hypocrite?"). Tamar then produces the evidence against her father-in-law and he relents. The story ends with the birth of twin boys. I jokingly called the sermon the "Jerry ...
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