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So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” Genesis 18:12
God’s promise of a son was long overdue. During the time of Abraham and Sarah a man’s wealth was measured by the amount of livestock owned and children fathered. Many a wife was cast aside or socially alienated if children weren’t brought into the mix. Although it sounds harsh in our world today, sons were more highly honored than daughters as well.
It’s really no surprise then that Sarah was little bitter and skeptical when the visitors arrived that day. The Bible refers to the three as ‘the Lord’. Was this an earthly, temporary manifestation of the trinity? We aren’t sure. What we do know is that God was present and he had a special message of hope for Sarah. Finally, at long last, just one year from now she would bring the promised son into the world.
The promise was really a restatement of a promise given long ago without any sign that it would be fulfilled. Since then Sarah offered up her maid-servant to Abraham and a son was born to this couple. Among other things, the birth of this baby caused conflict in the family (a conflict that goes on today) and reminded Sarah once more that she was the problem. After all, if Abraham had no trouble fathering a son with Hagar, he obviously wasn’t the problem, right?
We may tend to look down on Sarah for scoffing at God. We can talk about how she is showing a lack of faith or trust. We can question her patience. But in reality each of us is guilty at times of laughing at God’s promises for us.
God’s promises DON’T ALWAYS FOLLOW NATURAL LOGIC. Sarah was well past childbearing age. It was a biological impossibility for her to bear children. If we believe God to be who we say He is we also must acknowledge that He is not bound to the laws of nature. He controls nature. Nature does not limit or control God. Sarah made the mistake of believing in the order of nature, rather than believing the promise of God.
God’s promises COME IN HIS TIME NOT OURS. We live in a microwave world. Everything is instant from our potatoes to the way we communicate. As Sovereign God our Father knows best the timeframe for the events of our lives to take place. Waiting for God’s timing is difficult now, but much better for the future.
God’s promises DO NOT ALWAYS RELY ON OUR ABILITY TO BELIEVE OR UNDERSTAND. God told Sarah she would have a son in one year. Sarah laughed in disbelief and later lied to try to cover up that laughter. Even so, one year later she was holding her very own son. Imagine the joy she must have felt just three months after the visit when she felt the stirrings of life inside of her. For the next nine months Sarah carried with her the realization that God is truly God and His promises do come true.
God’s promises ARE NOT DEPENDENT ON ANYTHING WE DO. Later in Genesis (Genesis 21:1) the Bible says that God extended Grace to Sarah. She didn’t deserve to have that baby. Imagine. She laughed in the face of almighty God. God’s promises are based on His ability to fulfill them, not on our worthiness to receive them.
Don’t let time and circumstances allow doubt to creep into your mind. God can do great and mighty things in your life! God’s promises are for you and you don’t have to do or be anything to receive His promises! It may take longer than you think or wish, but in time He will accomplish in you all that He desires as you grow in relationship to Him.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I have to admit to you that I am impatient at times with You. It seems like you have promised me things and it takes much longer for those things to come to pass than I’d like. Thank you for the things you have done in my life and for the fact that you will accomplish all you desire for me. Help me to learn to trust you more and wait for you to work as only you can do. Amen.
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2-3
He was just an obscure shepherd. His family and his story suddenly appear in scripture out of nowhere. Abraham was untested when God promised him that he would be father of a great nation. In fact this promise was made before Abraham lied to the Pharaoh by telling him Sarah (his wife) was his sister to save his own skin (he did this twice), slept with his maid to produce his first son and abandoned his first son! Yet Romans tells us that Abraham believed in God and it was his belief, not his worthiness the caused God to look upon him as righteous.
Abraham was also chosen to be a blessing. God’s blessing upon Abraham resulted in those around him being blest. The source of this blessing was God’s work, not Abrahams. He did nothing to solicit the blessing others received nor did he do anything to deserve God’s using him as a tool of blessing. Scripture implies that Abraham really had no part in who was blest or who was not.
God’s protection was upon Abraham. Those that cursed Abraham were cursed by God. Again, Abraham had no part in this. When God’s protection is upon us we have no need to defend ourselves. God’s protection does not mean we will not endure attack. It does not free us from adversity. It does not guarantee that tragedy will not be a part of our life. What it does mean is that when we trust in God fully, He will build a shield around us. Nothing can separate us from the love and protection of Almighty God.
While none of us will be ‘a father of a great nation’ there are lessons each of us can learn from this story. First of all, God doesn’t wait for you to clean up your act or prove yourself or get an education or reach a certain age or place in life before he can use you. He is able to use you no matter what your past, regardless of mistakes you have made or the place you find yourself in life.
Secondly, where ever you go. Whatever situation you find yourself in. Regardless of how you got to the place you are in life. God’s protection is upon you. He is a passionate lover who will go to any length to make sure you are protected. You have no need to defend yourself. It isn’t up to you to ‘get even’ with those who attack you. God will take care of them in His time, in His way.
Lastly, you are blessed by God. Abraham looked forward to the promise of a great nation and a son who would be an eternal King. You can look back to the coming of that promise in Jesus Christ. His love and forgiveness will carry you through today and tomorrow, just as it did yesterday. Not only can you look back to the cross, you can look forward to that day when Jesus will come again to right the wrong and to end death, sickness, greed and hatred forever.
PRAYER: Father God. I’m once again humbled as I realize how much You love me. Like Abraham I, in no way deserve the life you have given me in Jesus. I fail miserably in what I say, do and think. I get angry at those who mistreat me. I defend my actions and retaliate in my own subtle ways. I hereby give you permission to do what you do best; protect me from my enemies, rid me of the past guilt and shame and bless those around me by the life you live through me. Amen.
Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27
One day, while Jesus was teaching the disciples a rich young man came to him. He was the kind of person any of us would want to be our friend. He was a moral man that could be trusted. He was most likely well liked for the Bible really doesn’t say anything negative about him. And, of course. He was rich!
But there was something missing in his life. On the outside he showed confidence, trustworthiness and strength. On the inside he was a lonely man filled with fear of the future. He was a poster child for the system he lived in but all of that was a façade. He’d done all the right things but they offered no joy, no happiness, no contentment.
Jesus gave the man a list of commands he must follow to gain peace for the future and eternal life. It was the one thing the man was lacking. The one gift he wanted more than anything…or so he thought. Jesus asked him to give up everything he had and follow him. The man went away more in despair than when he came. The cost was too high.
What Jesus asked the man to give up was more than money. It was power, it was prestige, it was status. What would others think of him? What would become of the many friends he had. Rich men always have plenty of friends because people enjoy associating with the talented, the rich and the famous. It wasn’t about money.
What Jesus wanted from the man was his heart. The commands Jesus didn’t question the man about all had to do with relationship. Relationship with others. Relationship with God. Relationship with himself. On other occasions Jesus summarized the commandments into three. Love God. Love yourself. Love your neighbor. All he really wants from us is complete, sold out, relationship.
After the man left the disciples discussed this with Jesus and one of them said in confusion, “Then who can be saved? If that is what God wants from us, what chance to any of us have? Is there any hope?”
Jesus answer to the question of who can be saved was quite simple. “No one. It’s impossible. There is no way man can be saved without God’s help.”
We can’t gain the peace and joy and contentment we seek through the things we see. Fulfillment in life comes from relationship. Success in life comes when we give ourselves completely to God and believe in ourselves because of His love for us. Don’t believe the lie that because you can’t do this or that, or don’t have the money for this project or that missions trip you aren’t important. God can do impossible things in your life because of His love for you. Not because of your strength, riches or ability.
PRAYER: Father God. I confess to you that I am much more like the rich young ruler than I’d care to admit. I follow all your rules. I do all the right things most of the time. But I have to admit that today if you asked me to give up everything I own, my money (what there is of it), my status, my reputation, my friends and my home, I’m not sure I could do it. Help me to give everything to you. To trust you with every aspect t of my life so that I can experience the peace you have for me. Amen.
Israel is no stronger than its capital, Samaria, and Samaria is no stronger than its king, Pekah son of Remaliah. Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.” Isaiah 7:9 (NLT)
“Unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm.” It’s a short little phrase stuck in the middle of an important part of Israel’s history. King Ahaz had to make a decision. Would he really put his faith in God and stand firm against the enemies that wanted to destroy Israel or would he put his trust in a neighboring countries power?
In the midst of his emotional and mental struggle God said “Go ahead. Ask me to show you a sign of what you should do and what will happen.” It was a crisis of faith for the King. Where was his true allegiance? Ahaz chose not to ask for the sign. In the end he trusted the neighboring power rather than the God of heaven and his kingdom was ripped from his hands.
Each of us must choose where our true allegiance is. It’s a daily decision, even a moment by moment decision. The enemy wants us to doubt who is really in control. It happened in the Garden of Eden, “Did God REALLY say you’d die?” It happened in during Jesus time on earth when He visited His hometown and the Bible tells us “He did no miracles there because of their unbelief”.
As Christ-followers we must always remember that God’s way is the best way. We must measure each of our actions according to what God wants and allow Him to determine the outcome by His power. God CAN do anything we ask but He requires that we first trust Him to do what is best for us, even if His best seems detrimental at the time.
There will be bumps along the road. There are going to be forks in the journey with confusing sign posts directing you along the way. As you grow closer to Christ, through obedience and knowledge of His word, He will show you the path to take. Don’t be afraid to ask Him. Don’t impatiently take action on your own.
Never forget that the Creator God of the universe loves you and wants you to experience all He has for you. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you. But you need to make that first step. Each of us needs to make a conscious decision to trust Him above all else and actively believe that He can and will see you through life’s obstacles. That’s what His love is all about.
PRAYER: Father God, I acknowledge that you are the creator and sustainer of the universe. I believe that you have all things in control. But I confess to you that there are many times during my day when I am faced with a choice to follow my own wisdom or ask you for direction. This almost always takes me down the wrong path. Forgive me for living in fear. Forgive me for following my heart and not what I know to be true. Help me to stand firm and step out in faith, truly believing that You can and will accomplish great things if I let You have control of my life. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 