“Sarah said, ‘God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.’ She also said, ‘Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him in his old age.’”
Genesis 21:6-7
The other day I bought a print of a Bible verse I like. It wasn’t even what I had planned on buying. I knew I wanted to buy the hat that says Jesus loves you, so I bought that. And then I wanted to buy a poster that said “I have seen the goodness of God” but then I thought that was kind of cheesy. So while I was scrolling through other print options, I came across a verse that means a lot to my heart.
To be honest, for years I thought I had already bought a poster with this verse on it. For some reason I was convinced I did. But when I checked to see what my poster said, it was not even a Bible verse. I think it was just a motivational quote. So after seeing the verse again, I knew that this time I had to buy it.
Blessed is she who believed He would fulfill His promises to her. Luke 1:45.
I don’t know where I first heard this verse. I don’t know if someone told it to me or if I stumbled upon it by God’s divine intervention. I just know that it’s meant a lot to me. It’s been a reminder that through this rollercoaster ride of a life following Christ, God loves me, He hears me, and He is doing good things in my life.
Sarah and Abraham didn’t think they would have children. They were old- like old, old. And in that time having children meant having descendants, and descendants were a big deal. Kind of like how all my cousins are girls so our last name is pretty much extinct after us. We’ll have kids of course, but the family name won’t press on.
So there they were, pretty much accepting that there was no way their lineage was going to continue. But God promised. He promised that they would have more descendants than the number of stars in the sky. And when they heard that they probably laughed. The verse actually says that Sarah laughed. Because they didn’t think it could happen. They didn’t see how this could even be a possibility when they were old old.
But God, because he is God, did the unthinkable when they least expected it.
And by faith they trusted. By faith they said ok God. By faith they believed that He could, and so when He did all the glory and honor went to Him.
So that’s why I trust. And that’s why I say ok God. And that’s why my faith leads me to believe that He could. Then when He does all the glory and honor goes to Him.
In my life this doesn’t mean waiting on a very specific circumstance to come true- like how Sarah was waiting to have children. Instead I have faith knowing that God can and God will and so I shouldn’t be surprised when He does.
Yes I pray over and over again about my credit cards being fully paid off or my dry hands to finally be soft again. And no those prayers haven’t been answered to the extent I request them. But God doesn’t promise me no credit card debt and buttery soft hands. His promise to me is that I will live a wonderful and beautiful life. And while the debt and the dryness are neither wonderful nor beautiful, I am still living an incredible life.
Because on one hand there is what I want, and on the other is what is being promised to me. And sometimes I don’t even know what is promised to me, I’m just thankful to receive whatever God has for me. But I know that in the anticipation of reaching that promise, God still has blessing upon blessing upon blessing for me.
By faith. Blessed is she who believed He would fulfill His promises to her.