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The Beauty of Stretch Marks

By Carolyn Tennant

My husband came in one day and made an announcement. “Pack up, dear. We are moving!”

“Where?” I asked him.

“I don’t know really. We are going to a lovely, distant land.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?” I pressed.

“I’m not sure. Just pack up. God said He would show me exactly where it would be. We just need to start. I think we should head south toward where my folks wanted to go at one time. Somewhere down there.”

“Wouldn’t it be good to decide exactly where we’re going first?” I asked. “Figure out the town we’ll be in. Get a job. Find a house. Make plans. Do our homework on the Internet. You know. You don’t really expect me to pack up and start wandering around with our furniture, do you?”

Even though this did not happen to me, the basics of this story actually took place for at least one other woman—Sarai (see Genesis chapter 12). This must have been quite a stretch for her. Imagine being told to pack up all your possessions and the people who worked with you along with all their possessions. They all headed south. After a 400-mile journey the Lord appeared to Abraham and told him this is the land that his sons will inherit. Only at that time, they had no sons. Furthermore, they had arrived in the midst of a famine.

Not too promising—this promised land! They had to move on down to Egypt in order to survive. To heap on the difficulties, Sarai had to put on a charade and pretend to be Abe’s sister instead of his wife.

The truth is that adventures still are occurring today—or should be if we would but allow them. God called women to step out into situations of uncertainty in the Bible, and it is His plan even to this day. He doesn’t mind putting us off balance, keeping things unclear for a while—stretching us.

Consider poor Mrs. Noah (Genesis chapters 6-8). There had never been a rain, let alone one that would flood the entire earth. As her husband built the first big boat ever, she had to watch as her husband was being ridiculed by everybody in town. Then she was supposed to enter his carpentry creation and settle down with a bunch of wild animals. Her living room had never been such a mess! I wonder how she really felt about all of this.

Then there’s Esther, Rahab, Ruth, Debra, Jael, and Mary. All of these women were called to something brave and out of the ordinary. Each of them must have wondered if she was “up to it,” but they all came through in the end with a marvelous story. Some saved whole nations; several entered the bloodline of Jesus; some became strong leaders; one birthed the baby who brought us redemption. In the story of each of these women is a big time of wonderment, of near craziness, of uncomfortability. There is a murder (Jael), a battle (Debra), an immigration (Ruth), a risk of life (Esther), a betrayal of her country (Rahab), and a baby out of wedlock (Mary). None of this is “tame.”

Yes, those are stretch marks! We all go through them at different times in our lives. We’re never too old or too settled for them. It’s those times of transition when everything seems to be astir. Something is happening internally. We are being prepared, but for what? The picture is still not clear, not yet within our grasp. But something is growing.

Those stretch marks on a new mother’s tummy are indications that life grew inside her to such a dimension that it showed on the outside. Ultimately what is developing will have to show itself. Time is quite relative, however.

We have been born into a remarkable era. I always like to live with the idea of Christ’s Second Coming in view. I do think it is the last days, and if I am wrong, then I will not be sorry to live as if it is nearing the end. It keeps me functioning with eternal values in view.

If we do not have a clear view of heaven, then we aren’t willing to risk much in order to gain it. However, if we want to see treasure that will remain for eternity, then we will have to take some risks and remember that whatever we hold valuable here on earth is really nothing much in light of eternity. Becoming famous here won’t matter there. Accruing gold? Well, in heaven that will be pavement! A nice house? Our present homes will be cardboard huts in contrast to the mansions He is preparing for us. Security? It is only in God anyway. I never have figured out how I can think I am better off when I am in control of things. That is a total joke!

So now is the time of holding lightly to what we have. We need to be ready for anything. In these last days God could call us anywhere at anytime and we must be prepared to move, to change, to go, and to speak.

Is this whole theme important or just a sidelight? Let’s consider that question through the eyes of Scripture. What if any one of the women mentioned earlier had not been ready to do what God had called her to do?

Mrs. Noah would have died in the flood. Sarai would never have become the mother of the Jewish nation. Esther would not have saved her people; they would have been killed. Mary would not have been the mother of the Messiah. You have the idea. How we handle the transitions of our lives, which requires readiness and boldness, makes all the difference in the world!

I am observing a trend. Lots of women I know are being called to let go of some old things they have found comforting. After all, nothing new can be picked up if our hands are already full. We have to set things down first. This can be disconcerting because it seems stripping and unstable. It makes us feel useless for the time being. All of the biblical women we have been exploring gave up virtually everything. Think about each one and note that they relinquished their people, their reputations, their goods, their businesses and houses—their very lives.

Many women today are also being asked to trim down their busy lives and to spend more time listening to the voice of God. I believe there are definitive reasons for this. God is getting ready to say some fresh things, and He wants us to be listening carefully. He desires women who are willing to jump at a moment’s notice and go wherever He needs them, speaking out His word for the times. If they are hampered and tied down, this would be impossible.

The Lord is now preparing an outpouring of prophetic voices. As the end times approaches, there will be warnings and insight, perspective and challenges that God desires to present. Where will He find those voices? They will be found only among those who are paying attention.

Finally, God is asking people to do some radical things. I know established pastors and their wives who are quitting their ministries to do they know not what. Others are changing careers and answering new calls. They are leaving everything they know to go into something that may be quite unstable in the world’s eyes. Some are scaling down considerably so they can give more than they have ever given before. Others are engaged in speaking and writing that is strong and poignant.

God’s ways have not changed. He has ever looked for people of faith who will allow themselves to be stretched in order to bring His plan into this world’s realm. He doesn’t always want to explain (perhaps is unable to explain within our limited perspective) exactly what this plunge of faith will be or why it is necessary. But even though the first step is not totally clear, and may be as general as “head south,” the people of faith know that it is important to obey. Only in this way will they arrive at the place God has for them—the place which He will use to further His own plans and advance His Kingdom. What else could be more important in light of eternity?

If you’re feeling stretched, so be it. Don’t be afraid. Stretch marks mean something is growing inside, and it will be delivered in God’s time and for His glory. Even if you don’t quite understand right now, let the process come full term. Someday you will see it all.

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