One great thing about regular Bible reading is that it never gets old … there’s always a new insight to be gained as you delve into the Scriptures. While I’ve read this passage many times before, the thing that struck me was that both Abraham and Sarah laughed when they heard the announcement about Isaac’s upcoming birth. Can you really blame them? They were around 100 years old, and they had just been told that they are going to have a child. While they lived longer then (Abraham was 175 when he died), Genesis 18:11 makes it clear that Sarah was beyond child bearing years.
But, then, this was a message from God! It seems to me that laughing at the impossibility (probably in disbelief) of a direct message from God would be a very dangerous thing. God struck people dead for what would seem to me (and David) to be lesser offenses (i.e. 2 Sam 6:6-8). God would have been justified in striking both Abraham and Sarah dead on the spot. Or, consider Zechariah in Luke 1. He questioned Gabriel in a similar manner and was struck mute until John the Baptist was born. But, God was patient and understanding of Abraham and Sarah. God stuck to His plan; Isaac was born, and eventually Jesus came through that bloodline. Praise God for His patience. We would be lost (eternally) without it!
I hope that these verses are an encouragement to you today:
Exodus 34:6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, (ESV)
Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (ESV)
In His grip,
Pastor Decker
No comments:
Post a Comment