Series: Faith- Unbelief and Distrust
In Hebrews 11, the Bible Sarah is one if two women named as examples of faith. In Hebrews 11:11, it says she received power to conceive, even though she was barren and past the age of having children because she considered him (God) faithful that promised.
In Genesis 18:15, we are told that God and two messengers from heaven met with Abraham and confirmed God’s promise that Abraham would have a son with Sarah, his wife. Sarah hears the conversation and laughs within herself (no one can hear) with unbelief and distrust because both she and her husband are old.
I’m going to assume that Sarah, like most women desired to have a child. After years of hoping and waiting, she is wondering, why now when I am old?
Why not when I was young?
Sarah may have held some bitterness in her heart from being barren and childless. But Sarah got caught, because God heard her laugh and asked her husband, Abraham why Sarah laughed.
God confirms his sovereignty and power and let’s it be known that there is nothing too hard for him and that he will return at his time (not Sarah’s) and Sarah shall have a son. I don’t know what Sarah was thinking about, but after God speaks, afraid, she lies saying she did not laugh. God checks Sarah and says, No, you did laugh.
Jumping to Genesis 21, 10+ years later, we discover that God visits Sarah and does what he said he would do and Sarah conceived a son, Issac. In verse 6, a happy Sarah says, God has made me laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
When you are young, you have all these ideas and plans of how you want your life to go.
Some things work out and others don’t go as planned. If we allow it, those regrets and disappointments can cause bitterness in our hearts we may not fully discern. In my opinion, Sarah’s bitter laugh was evidence of her unbelief and distrust in God’s power to bless her with a son from her barren and old body.
In today’s study on faith, I appreciate and can relate to Sarah.
In society often a woman’s value is tied to being married and having children. As if something is wrong with you if one or none occurs. I started this ministry in my 50’s and I have often thought why now Lord,why not when I was younger? But just like Sarah, the younger version of me wasn’t ready. It takes time for hearts to heal as we learn to align our wills to God’s plans, be patient, faithful and obedient.
Hope you are enjoying this study of faith as much as I am.
More tomorrow.
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