The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Genesis 18:10-15,
"Then the Lord said, 'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.' Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?' Then the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, "Will I really have a child, now that I am old?" Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.' Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, 'I did not laugh.' But he said, 'Yes, you did laugh."
Here in this well known passage, Sarah laughs at the thought that she will bear a son in her 90s. Her whole life had been filled with the dishonor of being barren in a patriarchal society. Now the Lord foretells she will have a son in her old age- and she laughs because of her age.
When the Lord confronted Abraham for Sarah laughing at what he said, the Lord made a salient point, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Paul takes up this very issue as that which led to Abraham being declared "righteous" in Romans 4:19-22, "Without weakening in his faith, he [Abraham] faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'"
Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Abraham was fully persuaded God had power to do what he had promised. Because Abraham was right on this issue, he was credited as righteous. One of the many wonderful aspects of our God is that there is nothing too hard, nothing too difficult, nothing that can stop whatever he sets himself to do!
Here in this well known passage, Sarah laughs at the thought that she will bear a son in her 90s. Her whole life had been filled with the dishonor of being barren in a patriarchal society. Now the Lord foretells she will have a son in her old age- and she laughs because of her age.
When the Lord confronted Abraham for Sarah laughing at what he said, the Lord made a salient point, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Paul takes up this very issue as that which led to Abraham being declared "righteous" in Romans 4:19-22, "Without weakening in his faith, he [Abraham] faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.'"
Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Abraham was fully persuaded God had power to do what he had promised. Because Abraham was right on this issue, he was credited as righteous. One of the many wonderful aspects of our God is that there is nothing too hard, nothing too difficult, nothing that can stop whatever he sets himself to do!
Our God is transcendent, all powerful, and sovereign over all!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment