You’ve been waiting on God, but perhaps, HE’s been waiting on you.

Tamar is a woman in the Bible that didn’t sit around and wait. She went for it.

Tamar was the grand daughter-in-law of Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. She was married to Judah, one of Jacob’s sons. The son she was married to was Er. But Er was so evil that God killed him. Because of the tradition of their “Levirate Union,” Judah married Tamar to his other son Onan, so that they would have children and continue growing the family.

But, Onan didn’t want to impregnate Tamar and spilled his seeds in an act known as coitus interruptus. God was angry because He had commanded if another brother is alive and single, the first brother’s widow must marry that single brother and have a child with him (Deuteronomy 25: 5-10). Onan dies. Judah sees Tamar as a sort of curse and refuses to give his last son, Shelah to her in marriage, telling her to just wait for Shelah. But after he has grown up, Judah doesn’t give Shelah in marriage to Tamar.

So here we have woman who is no longer willing to wait. Her father-in-law is clearly defying God and she wants what’s rightfully hers- children, family and to continue Judah’s family line.

Tamar deceives Judah into sleeping with her and takes objects of his (for proof) for a later time when proof would be needed. Thinking she was a prostitute, Judah wanted to sleep with her and he did, however he doesn’t recognize that she’s his daughter-in-law. Three months later when it’s known that she’s pregnant, Judah orders her to be burned. But she’s produces the objects- the proof and he says, “She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give my son Shelah” (Genesis 38: 26).

Judah was sinning by withholding Tamar from Shelah, but Tamar is a woman who went for it. Trusting God’s rules and being smart to take objects of Judah for proof, she surged onwards, took a risk and took what rightfully hers. If she did what Judah originally told her to do, to wait for Shelah, she would have been died waiting.

Practical Life Application

How many of us are waiting? Have been waiting for 5, 10, 30 years for something? Now, of course we should always follow God and not move ahead of His voice. But He is not a chauffeur. When we move, God moves. And moving is an act of faith. Tamar knew she had the right to move. So, our moving must align with Scripture- always. But it will sometimes require risk and great faith.

I would like to encourage you to move! Move towards starting that business; getting that degree; meeting that future special someone (if you want to be married) by surrounding yourself with single Christian people and maybe God may guide you to the right one; starting that blog; writing that book; buying that ticket to see more of the world; drawing up the legal documents for justice if you’ve been mistreated- whatever it is. When we move, God moves. And moving in this way doesn’t mean you’re going ahead of his voice or will. You’re still conceding His plan for your life, trusting that He will keep the wrong doors closed and open the right ones.

I’d also like to point something else out, Judah was blocking his own blessing by thinking Tamar was a curse. But God was trying to bless him. She bore Judah twins, two sons. These sons, Perez and Zerah were gifts of the two previous sons he lost- Er and Onan. Judah was also blocking his family line from continuing. Jesus comes from the tribe of Judah, David and Solomon came from the tribe of Judah, Boaz came from the tribe of Judah… you see the point I’m making? Let us make sure we aren’t blocking the gifts God is trying to give to us.

Happy Friday!

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See a previous post on Tamar, click here.