September 12
“By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised,” Hebrews 11:11.
When God called Abraham to leave his homeland, Abraham was 75 years old and Sarah was 65 years old. She was past the age when she could expect to bear a child. However, the promise of God that they would have a son was repeated year after year to Abraham and Sarah. When Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was 89 years old, God informed Abraham that within a year they would become parents. Moses reported, “Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’” Genesis 17:17. God responded, “My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year,” Genesis 17:21.
Later, the Lord appeared to Abraham to inform him that Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be destroyed. After Abraham had received this information, he was informed again that he and Sarah would become parents. Moses recorded, “(God) said, ‘I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.’ (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?’ And the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?” Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son,’” Genesis 18:10-14.
In a moment of spiritual weakness, both Abraham and Sarah laughed at the thought of becoming parents at their age. However, they still had faith, and believed the promise of God that in the course of time a descendant of theirs would be the promised Messiah and Savior of the world. That promise was elaborated upon repeatedly in the Old Testament, as the apostle Peter reported: “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins,” Acts 10:43. The New Testament is the story of the fulfillment of God’s promise to send the Savior. “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons,” Galatians 4:4-5.
Like Abraham and Sarah, we also at times raise questions about God’s promises. We need to go back to God’s question to Abraham: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” On a previous occasion, the Lord said to Abraham, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless,” Genesis 17:1. God is almighty! Trust Him and believe His promises!
By faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom God the Father promised to send to redeem us, we are children of the heavenly Father. Jesus’ blood shed on Calvary’s cross has washed away our sins. He suffered and died, but then He rose from the grave and conquered sin, death, and the devil for us and for all people. We are invited to believe in Jesus as God’s Son and our Savior, and we are given the promise of God: “You will be saved!”
“Jesus, lead Thou on,
Till our rest is won;
And although the way be cheerless,
We will follow calm and fearless.
Guide us by Thy hand
To our fatherland.
Jesus, lead Thou on,
Till our rest is won;
Heav’nly Leader, still direct us,
Still support, control, protect us,
Till we safely stand
In our fatherland.” Amen.