Genesis 18 vs12: "So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have [a child]?'"

I always think I have great faith until I open up my Bible and read about how God tells me not to worry. Suddenly I realise that I'm always freaking out about paying rent or having enough money for food or getting good enough grades and then, it hits me, that I have a lot in common with the likes of Sarah and Abraham. Both laughed at God when He told them they would have a child. Abraham was in his hundreds (it sounds strange to say) and Sarah was ninety; for them to be fertile at that age, for Sarah to survive the birth, would be a medical miracle.

Genesis 21:1-2
"Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him."
(NIV)


What stands out to me most in God doing this for Sarah and Abraham is that when they were faithful to Him, He proved how faithful He was. Earlier in the story Abraham gains a son, Ishmael, by his maidservant, Haggai, and taking the situation into his own hands ended in bitterness. When Abraham decided to trust in God he was blessed with a child.

Since the beginning of time humans have been lacking in faith. We've been pretending that we've got it all together, that we know what's best, when, realistically, we don't have a clue. And sometimes we turn around and laugh at God. More than a lot of things I want to be a wife and a mother, and sometimes I turn to God and say "I'm in my twenties and I haven't been in a single relationship my whole life. How's it going to happen now?" It's going to happen because this isn't the 1800s and women don't reach spinster-hood by their mid twenties. And it's going to happen because I'm actually in some really great circumstances. I've never had to deal with a messy relationship, I'm yet to give away my first kiss, I've never given my heart to anyone but the Lord... So when God does introduce me to the right man I will be ready, and so will he.

But this isn't a blog about relationships. Faith is tough most of the time, if not all. Look how long it took Abraham, and even his final test was to sacrifice his only son, whom he had waited a hundred years for. But, even when we turn around and laugh at God's plans, He still loves us. He doesn't say to us "Well, fine then, if you don't believe me then I won't bother!" If your heart desires something, something that is good and Godly, then God will not pull that away from you.

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