How can we trust God's promises in our lives like Abraham and Sarah? Setting the Scene: A Promise Against All Odds “ ‘I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.’ ” — Genesis 17:16 • Abraham is ninety-nine, Sarah eighty-nine. • They have waited decades with an empty cradle and an aging hope. • God’s promise arrives, not as wishful thinking, but as a firm declaration. The same God who spoke this impossible word speaks into our lives today. How do we trust Him as Abraham and Sarah eventually did? Lessons on Trust from Abraham and Sarah • Trust grows through revelation, not circumstance. – Earlier, God had already said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1). – Each new promise built on an earlier revelation. • Honest doubts do not cancel covenant. – Sarah laughed (Genesis 18:12), yet God still fulfilled His word. • Obedient steps reinforce faith. – Circumcision (Genesis 17) was a visible, painful sign that Abraham believed God’s unseen future. • God sets the timetable. – “ ‘At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son’ ” (Genesis 18:14). – Our clocks tick; His calendar rules. Anchoring Our Hearts in the Character of God • He is Almighty: Genesis 17:1 calls Him El Shaddai—fully able to perform what He promises. • He is Truthful: “It is impossible for God to lie” (Hebrews 6:18). • He is Faithful: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God, keeping His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9). • He is Personal: “For He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). The One who formed Sarah’s barren womb knows every detail of our limitations. Practical Steps to Embrace His Promises Today 1. Search the Scriptures regularly. • Faith is sparked by hearing His word (Romans 10:17). 2. Speak the promise aloud. • Abraham “gave glory to God, being fully persuaded” (Romans 4:20-21). Our lips reinforce our hearts. 3. Align daily choices with the promise. • Abraham prepared a nursery before a baby existed. We prepare space—time, resources, attitudes—for God’s future work. 4. Surround yourself with covenant reminders. • A journal, a verse on the fridge, or the Lord’s Supper each week—all keep His word vivid. 5. Wait actively, not passively. • Serve, give, encourage others while you wait; this keeps hope from turning stale. Encouraging Examples from the New Testament • Mary believed the angel’s word: “For no word from God will ever fail” (Luke 1:37). • Zacharias learned through silence that God completes His plans (Luke 1:20). • The early church held God’s promise of power, praying until Pentecost arrived (Acts 1:4-14). Closing Thoughts: Living as Children of Promise Isaac’s birth shouted that God’s word towers over biology, chronology, and human strategy. Every time we lean on His promises, we stand in that same miracle lineage. Let’s refuse to measure God’s ability by our limitations; instead, like Abraham and Sarah, we stake everything on the unbreakable word of the Lord. |
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