Do you ever move ahead in God’s plans? Do you tend to do what you think God wants you to do, to realize that it wasn’t at all what he wanted you to do? This what Sarah did. She allowed unbelief in God to keep His promise of a child and did her own plan, trying to achieve God’s plan. It didn’t go well for Sarah, and it doesn’t go well for us either.
We face a challenge of God’s plan is pointing in one direction, while our circumstances are pointing to another direction. When we see things from our human eyes of impossibility, we take our eyes off of what God can do – miracles. He makes the impossible possible. Mark 9:24 says, ‘And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.’
Read Genesis 18: 1-10. What is the message for Abraham and Sarah? What do we learn about the circumstances and how Sarah responded to this message from God? Sarah laughed. She had unbelief in God because of where She and Abraham were at in age. How could they possibly have a child at their age?
Let’s read on! Read verses 13-15. What do these verses reveal about God and Sarah? God heard Sarah laugh. This shows God is omniscient. He knows everything about us. Nothing is hidden from Him. We can deceive others but not God. We can lie about it; God still knows the truth. Sarah laughed and then lied. Did this change God’s plan and purpose? No! However, He did make it clear to Sarah’s untruth was not ignored.
Relook at verses 13-15. What is significant about the phrase, “. . . at the appointed time. . . “? God had appointed a time for Isaac to be born. God was not sitting in heaven, waiting to see what Abraham and Sarah would do. The child that God promised arrived just when He planned – “at the appointed time.” Hebrews 11:11 says, “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age because she judged him faithful who had promised.” What does this verse show about Sarah? What does it reveal about what she did and the result? She wasn’t leaning into Abraham’s faith. She had her own Faith in God. We have to take God at His Word. When He says what will happen, we need to believe that He will make it happen. He says He will do; He will do!
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for being a God that is patient with your people. I pray that we will not jump the gun and go ahead of you in your plans. Help us to have faith in you that we will know that what you say will be.
In Jesus Name
Amen
