Faith #5 (Sarah)

 December 22, 2022

 

Faith is not just the purview of men. “By faith even Sarah received the ability to have a child, though she herself was barren and past the age for having children, because she believed that the one who promised was faithful.” [Hebrews 11:12 CEB]

 

Let’s check the Old Testament story. God visits Abraham in Genesis 18 to announce the birth of a son (while on His way to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah). Abraham sends Sarah to help prepare food for the visitors. Almost as if He is wanting to avoid being overheard, God asks where Sarah is (Genesis 18:9). Abraham acknowledges that she’s probably eavesdropping. However, this message is intended for BOTH of them. This is a test of THEIR faith. When Sarah hears she will have a child, her response is, "So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, I’m no longer able to have children and my husband’s old." [Genesis 18:12 CEB] How is this faith?

 

Letting Sarah know that He is listening in on Sarah’s thoughts as she is listening in on God (catch the humor?), God states, “The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Me give birth? At my age?’” [Genesis 18:13 CEB] Sarah is caught eavesdropping (considered bad behavior) and laughing at (disbelieving) a promise of God. She does what comes naturally to human nature. “Sarah lied and said, “I didn’t laugh,” because she was frightened. But he said, “No, you laughed.” [Genesis 18:15 CEB]

 

Lying is our nature. It started when Adam declared, “The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” [Genesis 3:12 NIV] Was it true that God put Eve in the garden with Adam? Yes. Was it true that she gave him the fruit to eat? Yes. Was it true that Adam ate the fruit? Yes. So where’s the lie? Simply put, Adam deflects responsibility for his actions. The lie Adam tells is, “I’m not responsible.” In fact, he blames God for his predicament. WE are still doing it.

 

After Sarah is busted for laughing, she is busted for lying. Yet, there seems to be no consequence. Unless you count the fact that her eavesdropping is exposed. Unless you count the fact that her laughter (disbelief) was heard. Unless you count being caught in a lie. That’s humiliating. Somewhere between then and Isaac’s conception, Sarah must have had a change of heart (and faith). She will not face God again with humiliating disbelief accusing her.

 

In the middle of this story is a lesson: "Is anything too difficult for the Lord?" [Genesis 18:15a CEB] Our limited human minds think in terms of easy and hard. I suspect our favorite word is "impossible." Flash forward 2,000 years to a tiny, out-of-the-way hole in the ground called Nazareth and a virgin who is gobsmacked by an angel’s declaration that she will have a son. The angel reminds Mary, "Nothing is impossible for God." [Luke 1:37 CEB]

 

Flash forward another 2,000 years. What do you think is impossible? I can imagine God smacking us on the back of the head and saying, “Don’t you get it yet?”