Check this out.
When Abraham was just plain old Abram, God promised him a child. The dude’s old at this point. Way more likely to be kicking it with great grandpas than first-time fathers.
But God promises him a child and Abram believes.
Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.
-Genesis 15:6
Although this promise was by all accounts impossible, Abram believes and God declares him righteous because of his faith.
Pretty awesome, right?
Yeah. Until chapter sixteen.
Can I just tell you that I love chapter sixteen?
I relate to chapter sixteen.
I am chapter sixteen.
Because here we have Abram, this righteous dude because he believes God will do the impossible, when bam! Abram and Sarai reveal their utter humanity. They try
to fulfill God’s promise with human hands. Just one chapter later, they turn into Peter. Focused on God’s miraculous provision one minute, the choppy waves of impossibility the next.
to fulfill God’s promise with human hands. Just one chapter later, they turn into Peter. Focused on God’s miraculous provision one minute, the choppy waves of impossibility the next.
Sarai freaks out and gives Hagar to Abram. Abram sleeps with Hagar. Hagar bears Abram a child named Ishmael. Sarai gets all jealous, blames Abram for her problems, and goes all mean-girl on Hagar. Who freaks out and runs away with baby Ishmael and doesn’t come back until an angel tracks her down.
Sarai and Abram, in their attempt to ensure God’s promise, take matters into their own hands and make a big giant mess.
Do you know how much I relate to Sarai and Abram?
God makes me promises. Through His Word and the Holy Spirit, He makes me promises. And man, I believe them. I grasp onto them with confidence and awe and expectation. Until I wake up the next morning and worry seeps in. And in my worry, I try to accomplish God’s will by my own strength. By my own understanding. And inevitably, I mess it up.
But you want to know what’s amazing about God?
When Abram and Sarai dropped the ball, God didn’t give them a dismissive wave and say, “You two are obviously unworthy. Let me find two people who aren’t so messed up.” No. God was faithful. Even when Abram and Sarai weren’t. He kept His promise. He made them into Abraham and Sarah. And despite the impossibility, He blessed Sarah with a child. He gave them Isaac.
And through Isaac, Jesus. Our rescue. Our hope. Our savior. The only one who can redeem the ugly messes we make of our lives. The only one who can turn them into something beautiful.
Let’s Talk: Can you relate to Abram and Sarai? Have you ever tried to accomplish God’s will in your own strength and understanding?
Trying to accomplish God’s will in your own strength and understanding: Doing an Ishmael. That’s what a good friend of mine called this misstep.
And yes, I’ve slipped on that spiritual banana peel more than once.
And thank God for his lavish grace every time.
(And I also relate to Sarai because she was the first late-in-life mom. Ever.)
;o)
Were you a late in life mom, Beth?
Amen no the grace. Amen, sista!
Yep–what I call a “repeater Mommy-Come-Lately,” since I had three teens at the time. Christa (she was born on Christmas Eve, was quite the surprise!
I love that you call her a surprise! Because surprises are fun, unexpected gifts. I always get sad when I hear parents calls children accidents.
And wow – three teens and a baby!! Just more proof that God knows what’s up WAY more than we ever do!
Wow! Did you ever strike a chord with me, Katie. Here’s my story as short as I can make it.
There was a year in my life I “played God” BIG time. It was 1992. Gwynly and I were living in Germany where he taught in am American military high school. The Cold War was over. U.S. soldiers were being pink slipped. Army posts were closing. Ours was on the “hit list.” The future became a cloudy mess.
I wish I could say I rose above the fog of fear, but instead I sorta freaked. Gwynly needed a job stateside so we could move back when his contract with the Department of Defense Dependents Schools ended. I took it upon myself to find him a job, typing up and sending out 160 resume packages over the course of a school year. You were a teacher, Katie, so you know how many pages those babies are when class lists, transcripts, etc. are attached. Plus, that was the days before the Internet.
Did my efforts pay off? Nope. Gwynly got two job offers–both based on handwritten applications he’d filled out the year before and submitted in faith.
I learned that leaning on the Lord trumps playing God. Thankfully I’m older and wiser now and not as quick to do His job these days.
Thanks for sharing this story, Keli! I’m glad I’m not the only one who falls into this trap. Don’t you love how God teaches us these lessons with so much patience and grace?
I’ve always loved this story.
I have tried my own strength many times before. It never really worked my way, or on my own.
Once I learned that trust was the key, I learned what I can do with God by my side. It’s been an amazing journey since.
Sure have & so relate with them. I think the coolest piece of this is that God kept His promise. That gets to me this morning.
Fun post.
~Wendy
I love Sarah’s story. I love it when she basically laughs at God. Laughs at him!! Who does that?
I also can never get enough of stories in the Bible where God uses those who aren’t proving themselves to be very worthy. That’s where my hope always lies.
Ah, yes. Worry. Story of my life.
I will say that there ARE sometimes when God directs us to do something, though, rather than waiting for him to fulfill his promise without our help. It can be hard to distinguish those times (to distinguish our motives). Recently, I felt prompted to apply for a full-time job so we could pay down school loan debt. It didn’t really make sense, since it was the middle of October and I couldn’t start until January (I’d committed to teaching college classes until December). I mean, who would interview and hire me with all the competition out there and since it was so long before I could start? But I felt suddenly prompted to look online for a job, found one within minutes that fit what I’d done in the past, applied, interviewed, and within less than a week, was offered the job. To start in January. Paying more than I made at my previous job. I’m still amazed. (And blessed.)
But I guess to look at it, that was stepping out in faith, since it didn’t really make sense to me at the time.
I guess I’m just saying that not always does trusting God mean we sit back and let things happen. Sometimes he prompts us to do something. We just have to listen to that still, small voice and examine our motives: are we trusting God or trying to fix the problem ourselves? It’s all about attitude.
(And PS, I’m not implying that you WEREN’T saying this. Just thought I’d bring my own experience into it. OK, I’m done now. Man, I’m being wordy today.)
Love this perspective, Lindsey, and you are 100% correct. Often times…in fact, I would say most times…trusting God involves stepping out in faith. Like our adoption. It doesn’t make sense for us financially. Not one bit. But we’ve prayed and felt his confirmation around every corner, so we are taking action to adopt. Even though, like Sarai getting pregnant, it feels impossible.
But for me….one minute I have faith that God is going to provide for this adoption, and the next, I’m freaking out, my mind spinning in circles, trying to think how in the world we’re going to raise the funds. When God wants me to settle down and trust Him.
So I guess…..it’s more of a heart thing than an action thing. Letting my heart be still and filled with faith as we move forward, you know? And being careful not to put the cart in front of the horse…I’m often so tempted to jump ahead of God instead of consulting Him first.
Love this conversation, Lindsey!
Yep, I totally agree with everything you’ve said! Normally, I’m a worrier. It’s been pretty cool with getting this job, though, because I have felt such a peace about it from the beginning. There are a few things I worry about–like how am I going to fit in my blogging and writing, keeping up with household stuff, and being a good wife–but I feel confident that God wants me to take the job and continue these other activities, so I’m stepping out on that wave and asking God to help me ride it without crashing and drowning!
BTW, you can be as wordy as you want, girl! As you can see, I tend to error on that side as well.
Thank you, friend! Glad to know I’m in like company!
Love the story Keli shared. At the moment there’s no specific instance I can think of but that’s more because I tend toward “do-nothing” when I’m afraid rather than taking action. So I’m the opposite in my faith fall. lol Actually, maybe like Peter who stops moving, looks down, and that’s when he sinks. Ha! Great post, girlie!
I cling to God’s words to Abraham. After the promise, lots of time went by. One day God showed up and said, “I am your exceedingly great reward.” When it comes to this writing thing, I know I have a promise, but no matter what happens or when I need to remind myself every day that my exceedingly great reward is God–not the good stuff He gives because He loves me.
Yes, I can so relate!
I 100% love this Jessica – because man, it is SO true. As amazing as this publishing thing is….it’s still not enough to fulfill me. I still have bad days, sad days, doubtful days, insecure days. I’m realizing more and more, that God is THE reward, THE answer, THE everything. And whatever I do….so long as it draws me nearer to Him…then that’s the ultimate reward/goal.
This post hits the theme of my life right now! Its so tempting to go out & try to take care of things on our own b/c I’m tired of waiting for my prayers to be answered. This past weekend our pastor preached about Zechariah & Elizabeth in answering their prayer for a child at the appointed time. That blew me away! Every prayer is answered at the appointed time!
Oh yes, I can relate! Oh yes, I have tried to accomplish God’s will by my own strength and understanding! Which is so…dumb. Because obviously my own strength and understanding are about as reliable as generic brand Saran wrap…which is not so much. (Sorry, I had issues with Saran wrap this morning! Sometimes the name brand is worth it.)
But I love your reminder that even when we mess things up, try to go it on our own, God still doesn’t give up on us. He’s still faithful to fulfill his promises. Too awesome.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Thank you for sharing this!
I have come back to the story of Abram and Sarai countless times through our infertility. I mostly have a newfound understanding of Sarai. I used to read chapter 16 and wonder what on EARTH they were thinking by bringing Hagar into the mix. How could Sarai let that happen?! Until I couldn’t bear my husband a child. Until I had to look him the face every month…a man who was wired to be a father with every fiber of his being…and tell him the test was once again negative. In my darkest, most awful moments, I begged him to divorce me. To find someone else who could give him children. And I meant it, Katie…I really truly meant it. It was ugly. It broke my heart, and it broke his too. Thankfully Joel thinks I’m semi-crazy most of the time, so he didn’t act on my pleas, haha.
Maybe I’m just reading too much into Sarai’s story, but I really truly feel like the text leaves out the magnitude of her pain. The kind that drives you to do crazy things like allow your husband to sleep with another woman just so he can be a father. I’m sure it destroyed her. But in that culture, where you were so defined by your offspring (especially as a woman), I can only imagine the thoughts going through their heads.
Anyways…I’m getting wordy and probably depressing you. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts today! They are so very true. God is certainly faithful. And I am so thankful for his mercy in seeing past my impatience, control-freakiness, and inadequacies.
Lots of love,
H
Holly – you aren’t being depressing. You’re being real. Which is one of the things I just love about you. Because in your realness, you are ministering to women who are passing through that same pain. You know I’ve said it before….and I’ll say it again. I think you ought to write a book.
I think the Bible is filled with stories where the emotion is left out. Sarai’s emotion is definitely left out here. Same with Abraham’s emotion when he takes Isaac up that mountain to sacrifice him.
Interestingly, one of the few times emotion is not left out is when Jesus is praying in Gethsemane for the cup to pass. The anguish He’s feeling is all over the page.
wow… I sooooooooooo can relate.. and thank you so much for sharing this!!!
Katie, I love your analogies and beautiful words. I’ve never seen a parallel drawn between Abram and Peter, but it totally fits. Thanks for digging and sharing!
Thanks for the reminder!
The faith of Abraham and Sarah is inspirational…and the fact that they were flawed is also comforting in that God can still use us!
I tend to run ahead and look around only to find I am alone and God is not there. I HATE that!
I once asked God for three sons. When he finished laughing and wiping the tears from His eyes, He gently said, “No. One son. Be content with what I have given you…”
It hurt to know that as a young woman 15 years ago I couldn’t have any more children after my son…but, through the years I learned that God is faithful even when we are not.
He hears our prayers and tells us to wait sometimes.
But He is faithful.
Can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for your little family!
Blessings,
Ruth
So many times! Most recently,in our hunt for a job. I thought I knew when and where He should give us when. Finally, when we gave up and said,”Lord, move us wherever you want and we will go, He opened the doors for a job, sold our home in record time and delivered us to an awesome group of people in a church.