Bible in 90, Day 02: Power and Promises

Genesis 17-28

*image courtesy of mfb1982 at stock.xchng

So, we read a great passage today (aren’t they all great?!) about Abraham and Sarah.  But just like last time I took the Bible in 90 Challenge, I noticed something today I’ve never seen before in chapter 18.  Now, I’ve always known that Sarah was past childbearing years (she was 90 after all! [17:17]). When I looked it up, I realized that this is exactly how the NIV phrases it.  But this time through, I’m reading the ESV and it is a more literal translation.  The ESV translates the phrase this way, “The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.”

Now, the NIV gets the point across, but the ESV is more technical and this phrasing made me realize something: Sarah had gone through menopause.  It wasn’t just that she was very old to be thinking about kids.  More than that, the way of women had ceased to be with her.

I may have just been dense before, but this seems bigger to me!

Her time was over!  She was not having any kids!  And yet, God promises she will be holding a child a year from the time of this passage.  Understandably, she laughs.  She tries to hide it, but God calls her on it.  He reassures Abraham and Sarah that nothing is too hard for Him (18:13).

Flip over a couple of pages to 20:17-21:7, and you’ll see that indeed nothing is too hard for our God.  In this passage, which is actually the end of one passage and the beginning of another, we see God re-opening the wombs of the women in Abimelech’s household, and then opening the womb of Sarah as promised.  Now, Isaac’s name (which means “laughter” or “he laughs”) took on all new meaning.  Originally, Sarah laughed at the thought of giving birth to a child, and now she exclaims that she is laughing with joy, and that others will laugh at her experience!  From this passage we can gather two very important and inseparable truths:

Our God keeps His promises.

Nothing is too hard for our God.

Without the second of these truths, the first doesn’t carry as much weight, does it?  But together, we have powerful truth about a loving God.

Let’s remember these important truths about God’s power and promises.  Let’s rest confidently in God’s promises on our lives: to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), to provide for us so that we may bless others (2 Corinthians 9:6-15), to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9), and many more.  Let’s live our lives like we believe these promises, not doubting the great power of our God to fulfill His promises.

Originally at Words of Reason