We are studying Genesis in my church on Sunday mornings and the last few weeks have centered around the stories of Abraham. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, are held up as examples of faith because they believed God's promises, even when they seemed impossible to fulfill.
Who among us, if told that we would bear a child in our nineties, would act as Sarah first did and laugh out loud? My guess is, most of us. Sarah may have been skeptical at first, but eventually both she and Abraham grabbed onto God's promises for them.
For the most part we are familiar with this story, and we admire Abraham and Sarah's tenacity, but when faced with similar tests of faith we hold ourselves to a lesser standard. Our idea of keeping the faith is waiting a few weeks. Ask us to wait a few months or years to see God work and we begin to question: What's taking so long? Did God really promise...
Maybe it's our fast food mentality, or maybe it's lack of faith, pure and simple, but I have yet to meet anyone who has held onto God's promises for the length of time and with the surety that Abraham did. Abraham's story serves as a reminder that God does keep His promises, even when they seem impossible to accomplish, and even if it takes decades or centuries for His perfect timing to come about.
Recently, I was talking to my sister about the book I am writing and I was flippant about the subject of publishing. I expressed my belief that I may never become a published author...and she bit my head off. She didn't reprimand me for being unsure of my own talent, as I thought she would. Far worse, she admonished me for my lack of faith in God. According to her line of reasoning, God is the One who endows us with our gifts, so for me to doubt my gift of writing is to doubt God. When did she get so smart, anyway?
So here is the challenge. What promises has God given to you? Do you still trust Him to fulfill those promises, or is your faith losing ground in the face of impossible circumstances?
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