Hebrews 11:11 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.
Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 years of age because she looked away from her physical inability and judged God faithful to keep His word. But I can remember reading in the book of Genesis, that when God spoke to Abraham telling him they would have a son in their old age, Sarah was listening behind the tent door and laughed to herself. When the Lord asked her she denied it because she was afraid.
Sarah also suffered the danger of taking God’s promise in her own hands, suggesting that Abraham take her handmaid as wife in view of her barrenness, resulting in the birth of Ishmael. Not the promised son.
As I read her story, I’m reminded of God’s faithfulness and I’m encouraged because of the many times when I feel like have blown it with doubt and unbelief. He does not bring up the time I laughed when He called me to be a Pastor, “really Lord? Me?” and the time that I thought I needed to help Him speed things up, making the assumption that it was all about a position instead of a calling. I thank the Lord for protecting me from the right thing at the wrong time with a possible outcome of heartache and an Ishmael in my hands. Instead, He’s forgiving and pleased when I turn and believe.
They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean -Hebrews 8:12 (The Message)
I believe we will have a chance to read the books of remembrance that the Lord has on each of us, with the details of how we went through our tests and trials while on earth. I believe they will read very similar to Sarah’s story in chapter 11, “By faith, (your name) received strength to conceive seed (My Word) when everything looked impossible, because she judged Him Faithful who had promised.
What has God promised you? Just like Sarah, I pray that we all receive strength to conceive seed, His Word, and bear the fruit of His promises because we too judge Him faithful who has promised. But, if we laugh, I pray that it's in faith and out of the joy inside in expectation of all the great and mighty things that He said He would bring about.
Proverbs 31:25 (NLT) She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
