Why Didn’t God Do Something?
Birthdays bring a myriad of emotions- good and bad. You typically love them or you hate them.On the morning of my last birthday, God was so kind to give me a scripture that spoke directly to my situation. It’s not that I was feeling “old” necessarily, but I was feeling some type of way. The night before, my husband noticed something was off. I quickly blurted out, “I’m turning 33, and I don’t have a job!”—which was true. When I woke up the next day, I wanted to journal these thoughts and feelings before I opened my bible:“A marker of passed time is happening, and I can feel like I have nothing to show for it. The funk of the last week or two is the product of me letting the enemy and myself speak doubt over my life…I’m trying to muster up the faith that He’s going to use me again.”I edited out the pity party—you’re welcome. But as birthdays historically remind me, I’m not where I want to be. The current circumstances of my life, when taken at face value, can seem impossible.I opened my bible to Genesis 18. I smiled almost immediately, knowing it was the story where Abraham and Sarah’s old age is highlighted—thanks, God. More importantly, it’s a story of a long-awaited promise and a woman who had some real and raw feelings about the delay.To catch up, God has already made a covenant promise to Abram that he would be the father of many nations, families were relocated, standards were set, visions confirmed it, a ceremony sealed it, Sarai impatiently brought Hagar and Ismael into it, names are changed to Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac’s birth by Sarah is promised. A lot has happened in a 20+ year timespan. We drop into the story after a painfully fresh and physical covenant ceremony among Abraham and the men of his household (read: ouch!).Abraham is a young 100-year-old with Sarah not far behind at 90. Jesus had appeared to them outside of their tent, and Sarah overhears the conversation. It’s the timeline she has been seeking for 20 years.“The Lord said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.”
Genesis 18:10 ESV
The finish line of her waiting.The climax of her story.The answer to her prayers.The end of her wondering.
Within the year, the child she desperately desired and had been previously promised would be in her arms. But there’s a problem.“Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.”
Genesis 18:11 ESV
We’ve covered the age problem, but with age comes physical decline. Sarah wasn’t just 90; she was post-menopausal. She was past the point of being able to conceive, much less carry a child to term. Her womb was dead. It would be physically impossible.“So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?’”
Genesis 18:12 ESV
She can’t quite believe it, and why should she? She’d waited for so long without an answer. She’d tried to take matters into her own hands, and that only led to more pain. Her body can’t even complete the task. Why did God wait until now? Why didn’t he provide earlier?Maybe you know the feeling:Everyone around you is married or pregnantYour inbox is full of rejection lettersThe calls and texts are blockedYour ex is remarriedThe job is a dead endYour bank account is emptyThere’s no cureEveryone else has moved on
It doesn’t just feel impossible; it is impossible.“The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?””
Genesis 18:13 ESV
Let’s not forget Abraham laughed when he heard, too (17:17). Jesus knows why they laughed. That’s not why he asked the question, but instead, He is highlighting the disbelief. The laughter, whether uncomfortable, confused, or condescending, points to their perspective.Sarah could only see and comprehend what was in front of her. She had spent so many years living in her suffering and grief, waiting for God to come through, that she missed Him when he did. It’s hard to see above the waves when you’re so deep underwater.We dismiss what He says (we may even laugh to ourselves) when the math doesn’t math—when what we see in front of us doesn’t add up to what He says. How could it? It’s impossible.Jesus continues:“‘Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.’”
Genesis 18:14 ESV
Jesus also knows the answer to this second question, but He asks for her sake. He was inviting her to begin to shift her perspective.We know that sometime between this day and the day Isaac was born, Sarah believed God. How did she do it?“By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.”
Hebrews 11:11 ESV
The key word here is considered. Sarah considered God faithful. She made a conscious choice to believe God over what she was currently experiencing. She took time to answer the question: Is anything too hard for God?That verse can also be translated as: “Is anything too wonderful for God?” Because when God works a miracle, it’s wonderful, not hard.It takes faith to believe the answer to this question—looking past what is seen to what is unseen. It is a daily choice to consider God faithful to bring about the promise. Every moment we are faced with opposition, facts or impossibilities, we must choose faith. When the enemy talks us out of everything we’ve ever believed, we must choose faith. When our inner dialogue spirals into despair, we must choose faith.And when He does provide the answer, instead of laughter may we marvel at how wonderful He is.What I’m Doing:
I’ve been using this all summer—the smell is amazing! And it works so well as an everyday deodorant. I love the Santal & Vetiver and Neroli & Basil.What I’m Listening To:
What I’m Reading:
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