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Rizpah

My next daughter is going to be called Rizpah Ava Liebenberg
I am not pregnant and no, we have not started adopting yet
I just know this is her name
What it also means is that she will be a woman who reminds a heartless world to feel compassion
Rizpah means hot coal and Ava, life
Rizpah, in the Bible, was one of Saul's concubine's
David out of a place of fear handed her children to the Gibeonite's who slaughtered them and left there bodies exposed
"But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite.
And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites. And they hanged them in the hill before Jehovah. And they fell, seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven. And she did not allow either the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.
And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done."
2 Samuel 8-11
Rizpah moved David to change.
He ended up going to great lengths to show compassion.

We live in a very broken world.
I don't mean that in some super spiritual sense.
Simply put there is so much injustice, so much hurt.
We also live in bubbles that protect us from having to feel anything that might motivate us to action.
I just wonder how you would feel if you were suddenly left homeless or your child was abused?
I wonder about the family of Andries Tatane and all of the people who have no access to the things we all take for granted like running water?
What are we doing if we are not crying out for change?
Or have we lost the ability to care?

I am not sure where to start but Emiel and I have made the decision to stand up to injustice.
There are certain things I won't be buying,
And we will name our children for the futures we trust they will live out.
Alexander-defender of all mankind David-beloved
Beatrice-bringer of joy Louise-famous warrior
Rizpah-burning coal Ava-life
Tuvya-God is good (still working on his second name),
But to be completely honest I am not sure what to do.

I am sorry if it is heavy, but my heart is broken for Andries Tatane's family (a teacher who took part in service-delivery protests.  In an attempt to protect an older man he was brutally beaten by the police and shot.  On the night time news we watched him die).  It is also broken for the hundreds and thousands of children, healthy children, special needs children who will never know the love of a family.  I know they are two extremes but that is where I am at.  All of a sudden God has started exposing me to things I never would have thought about.  And I know as I know that we were never made to live just for ourselves.

Love to you all
Philippa





 
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