"Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." Genesis 21:1-7
In Genesis Chapters 17 and 18, you’ll recall God making a promise To Abraham and Sarah that they will bear a child…a son who they were to name Isaac. You’ll remember that both were very skeptical because they were very old and Sarah was considered barren. You’ll also remember that Abraham and Sarah were not only skeptical but laughed at the prospect that they might end up having a child together. As we looked at the meaning of names, you’ll recall that Isaac meant "he laughs"…an ironic underline to Abraham and Sarah’s reaction to what God promised as they both showed they lacked faith to truly trust and believe that God could do what He said He would. You’ll finally remember that God asked, "Is anything too hard for God?"
Well, in our scripture from Chapter 21, we learn that Sarah became pregnant and bore the son that God had assured would come to them. Abraham gave the boy the name Isaac and ensured he was circumcised as a sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and the Israelite people. We also see a quite different Sarah than what we witnessed before.
For our scripture tells us that Sarah said, "God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." And she added, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." In her words, we see a wonderful transformation that has taken place within her heart. Sarah the Skeptic has now become Sarah the Thankful. Sarah the Scoffer has now become Sarah the Rejoicer. Sarah the Doubter has become Sarah the Praiser. And she gives all credit to God…who made good on His promise. God also revealed three things to Sarah and to us as well in this matter:
1. God provides by His grace. Sarah didn’t really deserve what God did for her. She had exercised a total lack of faith and laughed at Him when He proposed He would make it so she would bear Isaac. But verse 1 tells us, "Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah…" And He will be gracious to you and I…indeed He is or else I wouldn’t be writing and you wouldn’t be reading this. His amazing grace gives us the very breath of life. Anything else, like being allowed to have a child when it was considered impossible, is just icing on the cake.
Question: Do you awake each morning and realize you are literally breathing in God’s grace? We don’t deserve this life we have but yet God graces us with it. He saves wretches like you and I who once were lost and now are found…once blind but now seeing. That is truly amazing.
2. God fulfills His promises despite our lack of faith. God said He would ensure Abraham and Sarah would have a son. Both showed a remarkable lack of faith that God would be able to do what He said. He could have just called off the whole promise but He didn’t. He made good on what He said He would do.
Question: Do you have the kind of faith that trusts that God can do anything in your life, even the seemingly impossible? Have you ever doubted He could help you only to have Him enter in and show you He indeed could handle your problem and bring about resolution? Like Abraham and Sarah, we too often lack the steadfast faith that we should have in the One who is capable of all things. He gave us so many promises and assurances and He always makes good on them in spite of our unfaithfulness. He NEVER turns His back on us. It’s we who turn our back on Him.
3. God’s actions bring us to the place of praise. The skeptically laughing Sarah becomes the joyful, praising Sarah as she becomes pregnant and bears Isaac. She is filled with an attitude of rejoicing and one can’t help but think she has been changed forever…and will never doubt God again.
Question: What has God done for you lately? Have you taken the time to praise Him for His goodness? Has your heart been transformed to reflect unadulterated faith in the One who is capable of doing all things for you?
Indeed, God brings amazing grace…He fulfills His promises to us, sometimes in spite of our faithlessness …and He ordains praise within us in response to His grace, love, and blessings.
Yes…what an awesome God we serve! Have you thanked Him today?
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
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