Hebrews 11:11–12 (ESV) —
11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
NOTE: God, and the scriptures, which are his word, are especially kind to Sarah. She may have considered God faithful, at some point in her life, but the opposite seems to be true most of her life. Hagar was Sarah's idea to provide a son, and that did not work out well. The context of the Sarah's story seems to suggest a sarcastic laugh when she overheard the news from the Lord of her giving birth in a year. She was ninety-nine, it was understandable. Maybe she did something else, she laughed in unbelief and she laughed in unbelievable joy and amazement that this thing might be true. And maybe, when she was question by the Angel of the Lord (preincarnate Jesus), she considered the promise true and God to be faithful.
Abraham and Sarah had a lot of servants late in their life. Even still, having children at such an old age is difficult. My wife and I take care of our two toddler grandchildren, and it is not easy. Fortunately, we both are pretty young physically, but there is a reason children are born to the young.
What do we learn? It's okay to have questions with God's will. It's okay to question Him. It's NOT okay to say "no, send someone else" like Moses did at the end of the burning bush story. It's not a lack of faith to struggle, but to persist in struggle, that is not okay.
PONDER:
- It's okay to struggle at times with God's will for your life, but do you persist in refusing God?
PRAYER: Father, help us to see where we persist in not letting you have control of our life. Open our eyes to your truth and to real peace and joy.
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