Irrevocable Promises
I just finished reading the third chapter of a book entitled, Slightly Bad Girls of the Bible, by Liz Curtis Higgs. This chapter is called The Last Laugh. It is about the promised heir, Isaac, and how God kept His promise to Abraham and Sarah -- even when His promise seemed so ridiculously impossible that the recipients of the promise responded with dismissive laughter to God's words.
In this chapter, the author makes this statement:
God doesn't make "To-Do" lists; God makes "Done" lists.
I loved that. As I was reading, I thought about how God could have intervened before Sarah took matters into her own hands. But He first allowed her own efforts to fail. And the promise of life was granted to a womb that was dead.
Despite her ruthless banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, Sarai was still cherished by God. Because she improved her attitude or behavior? No, because God never changes. From the beginning, he chose her as the Main Mom.
Did Sarai do anything to deserve the title? Not that we've seen. Her actions so far point to an impatient woman who thought she had a better plan for bringing God's promise of offspring to fruition and a vindictive woman who got what she asked for, then didn't want it.
...God irrevocably included Sarah in his promises to Abraham.
Sarah's dead womb was no obstacle for God. He alone is the life-giver. Quoting from the book again:
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14
A rhetorical question, much quoted. Indeed, is anything "too difficult" (NASB), "too wonderful for the Lord?" (NRSV). A rebuke from God, some say, though I read this as a gentle but firm reminder of his limitless power, not a biting chastisement for her lack of faith.
God fully intended to bless Sarah no matter how much she laughed.
Why then the delayed conception, long past her childbearing years? So the birth of Isaac might be seen for what it was: "a divine gift of grace."
...Though God exposed her sin, he did not punish Sarah, nor did he retract his promise. In fact, as far as the record shows, God never again brought up her disbelief or her denial...She acted rashly without seeking his will, she acted unkindly without seeking his forgiveness, and she acted foolishly without believing his promises -- yet God showered Sarah with mercy again and again. Will he do the same for you? Absolutely. "His mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation."
God's compassion knows no bounds. He was gracious to Sarah and did for Sarah what He had promised.
In this story, it was Sarah's womb that was dead. But in our case, Ephesians tells us that WE were dead and, through this same miraculous grace of God, we have been made alive in Christ. Notice the sureness of God's promises -- and even the past tense of what has already been done for us -- in the following passage from Ephesians:
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Do not be discouraged by your own limitations and inadequacies. We don't come to God with a sense of competence or ability. We come broken and flawed, through the blood of Jesus. We are undeserving recipients of God's grace. We come to Him in poverty of spirit and through faith in His Son. We are heirs through adoption and the redemptive work of Christ.
We have a race to run. Our choices must reflect our citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Obedience is the evidence of our faith. But, as my pastor pointed out recently, being triumphant doesn't mean that in every moment of our lives, everybody recognizes us as the victor. Learn to trust God and believe in His promises.
1 Corinthians 1:18
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
In this chapter, the author makes this statement:
God doesn't make "To-Do" lists; God makes "Done" lists.
I loved that. As I was reading, I thought about how God could have intervened before Sarah took matters into her own hands. But He first allowed her own efforts to fail. And the promise of life was granted to a womb that was dead.
Despite her ruthless banishment of Hagar and Ishmael, Sarai was still cherished by God. Because she improved her attitude or behavior? No, because God never changes. From the beginning, he chose her as the Main Mom.
Did Sarai do anything to deserve the title? Not that we've seen. Her actions so far point to an impatient woman who thought she had a better plan for bringing God's promise of offspring to fruition and a vindictive woman who got what she asked for, then didn't want it.
...God irrevocably included Sarah in his promises to Abraham.
Sarah's dead womb was no obstacle for God. He alone is the life-giver. Quoting from the book again:
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14
A rhetorical question, much quoted. Indeed, is anything "too difficult" (NASB), "too wonderful for the Lord?" (NRSV). A rebuke from God, some say, though I read this as a gentle but firm reminder of his limitless power, not a biting chastisement for her lack of faith.
God fully intended to bless Sarah no matter how much she laughed.
Why then the delayed conception, long past her childbearing years? So the birth of Isaac might be seen for what it was: "a divine gift of grace."
...Though God exposed her sin, he did not punish Sarah, nor did he retract his promise. In fact, as far as the record shows, God never again brought up her disbelief or her denial...She acted rashly without seeking his will, she acted unkindly without seeking his forgiveness, and she acted foolishly without believing his promises -- yet God showered Sarah with mercy again and again. Will he do the same for you? Absolutely. "His mercy extends to those who fear him from generation to generation."
God's compassion knows no bounds. He was gracious to Sarah and did for Sarah what He had promised.
In this story, it was Sarah's womb that was dead. But in our case, Ephesians tells us that WE were dead and, through this same miraculous grace of God, we have been made alive in Christ. Notice the sureness of God's promises -- and even the past tense of what has already been done for us -- in the following passage from Ephesians:
1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.
4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Do not be discouraged by your own limitations and inadequacies. We don't come to God with a sense of competence or ability. We come broken and flawed, through the blood of Jesus. We are undeserving recipients of God's grace. We come to Him in poverty of spirit and through faith in His Son. We are heirs through adoption and the redemptive work of Christ.
We have a race to run. Our choices must reflect our citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Obedience is the evidence of our faith. But, as my pastor pointed out recently, being triumphant doesn't mean that in every moment of our lives, everybody recognizes us as the victor. Learn to trust God and believe in His promises.
1 Corinthians 1:18
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
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