Christian Family Services Ministry

12-3-2019 – A Word to the Wise – What is faith?
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” 10 The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh. (Genesis 18 ESV)
11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. (Hebrews 11, ESV)
Proper interpretation of these verses is important if one is to understand the nature of faith. You see they laughed because it seemed incredible to them because of the age of their bodies—not a doubt of God’s Word.
This is clarified in Gen. 18:14 –the question ‘is anything too hard for God” this is speaking of their bodies which is explained in Gen. 18:11 telling us they were old. Thus they on the spur of the moment doubted their ability not God’s!! There is a huge difference in the two.
Furthermore neither were rebuked for not believing as was Zacharias when told of John’s birth. (Luke 1:20). But rather God’s word tells us clearly that Sarah and Abraham both had faith—they believed God.
Their laughter was for their bodies—not scorn for the word of God. They seem to have forgotten God for the moment-reflecting only on their ages and inability to produce of themselves. Once it is said ‘is anything to hard for God” they believed –they were not any longer depending on the ability of their bodies as at first—but God.
God is not a respecter of persons—if their laughter had been from unbelief in God—they would have been disciplined
as was Zacharias. The bible says he was accused of unbelief and disciplined for it.
The bible says Sarah was only asked ‘why’ she laughed and then tells us it was because of the age of her body which she was momentarily depending on all her ability not focused on God thus the question to stir up her thinking ‘is anything too hard of God?
So four thousand years later, why is this passage important? The answer is to be discovered in our prayers. Our prayers are to be oriented around the Lord’s plan for our life and His historical purpose. Instead our prayers tend to reflect what we want not what He wants.
Perfect prayer entails discovering what God wants then asking how He may use us to accomplish that purpose.
We ought to realize that when the Lord answers our prayers it is often to convince us of His power and purpose. With this knowledge and established faith we are ready to ask the really serious questions dealing with His purpose and our place in His plan.
For example I may ask Him “why did you place me here,” His answer; to cause others to believe, to strengthen faith. So the question you ought to be asking is ‘why did the Lord put you here at this time, and in this place? Without that knowledge you, and I will falter, and fret unable to discriminate the correct path. If this be the circumstance the focus and purpose of our prayers will be on what we want not what He wants. Consider please if Jesus had accomplished anything other than the purpose for which He was sent, no matter how good, no matter how noble, He would have failed.
So ask Him ‘why Lord am I here, your servant wishes to do your will and complete the task set before me.’ So it is for us. By faith learn His purpose and dedicate self to achieve that purpose.