When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him…I will give you a son by her; I will bless her and she shall be the mother of nations…Then Abraham fell down on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is 100 years old? Shall Sarah, who is 90 years old bear a child?”
Genesis 17:1;15;17
I don’t think there is a person alive who wouldn’t empathize with Abram.
Abram had been told by God that he was going to “make of you a great nation” (Gen 12:2), and have “descendants as numerous as the stars” (Gen 15:5). Moving from Genesis 15 to Genesis 17, things are not looking so great for Abram. He and his wife are old, even by biblical standards. The promises of God now seem very far away. Who wouldn’t feel like God forgot his promise?
Are there times when it seems like God has forgotten you? I experience that when things are not looking so great for me either, just like Abram.
It’s a lot easier to follow in faith when everything is going well. If I decide God is calling me to serve him in a particular ministry, I say “yes.” It ‘feels’ right if the committee or service runs without problems, but what happens in the rough times? I’m sure you have been on a committee that became rudderless. In those situations, I think to myself “Why am I here?”
Why would God ask me to do something and then, seemingly, disappear?
Why would God ask me to do something and then, seemingly, disappear?
The reaction of Abram and Sarai in their dilemma was predictable; they took matters into their own hands. Abram had a son by his maid. They both had come to the conclusion that God’s promise was not going to be fulfilled, so they jumped ahead and filled it themselves.
When I feel deserted, just like Abram, my reaction is to run off and do something my own way too. If the Lord isn’t helping me, I guess I’d better give birth to my own idea. So I run with that, and maybe it helps for a while. But in the end, I know it’s not going to work out the way God planned it.
God trusted Abram, the “father of many” (the meaning of his new name: Abraham), to wait. Given the promise, he was then called to sit tight. God would act when the time was right. The Lord trusts me to wait for him too. Maybe my project is floundering now, but God has called me to it, and he will not forget me.
God trusted Abram, the “father of many” (the meaning of his new name: Abraham), to wait. Given the promise, he was then called to sit tight. God would act when the time was right. The Lord trusts me to wait for him too. Maybe my project is floundering now, but God has called me to it, and he will not forget me.
Abram became Abraham; Sarai became Sarah because God had a plan. The timing was his, not theirs. It’s such a comfort for me to remember that when I wait for God to act in my life. He has promised that he will never leave me, and that his extravagant love will always surround me. It might seem like God is running late, or has forgotten, but honestly, that’s more like me. God doesn’t run late. God doesn’t forget.
Be patient, therefore, brothers until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
James 5: 7-8
So Lord, help me to resist running my own way (or laughing!), and to believe that you are still with me and bless me. Give me strength to wait for the ‘late rains’, that prepare me for your will. In your time, the harvest will come in abundance!
Linking today with SDG Group !
Linking today with SDG Group !
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Excellent post, Ceil! Abraham and Sarah a favorite of mine in the Bible. There is so much we can learn from them
Thank you for these wonderful thoughts.
I just tried to visit Leah and it says her blog does not exist so I just emailed her and asked if the address has changed. I will let you know when I hear from her. I was just on her blog the other day so I am not sure what happened.
Hugs to you!
Hi Stephanie! Thank you for your encouraging comment! How wonderful that this passage is such a source of inspiration to you. I love your faithful heart.
And thank you for the detective work too!
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
“When I feel deserted, just like Abram, my reaction is to run off and do something my own way too. If the Lord isn’t helping me, I guess I’d better give birth to my own idea.”
How true is this? =) I’m with you on this same action plan more often than I want to admit. Convicting, but encouraging post today!
Hi Natalie! Oh, believe me, I am still tripping over this one.
I hope by admitting my problems with waiting, I’ll be able to recognize what to do the next time. Well…that’s the plan anyway!
Happy Monday!
Ceil
Hi Ceil,
Thanks so much for asking about me. I falsely thought that my url would automatically be updated in your reader!
I had one last change to my blog because the name seemed too similar to some others on the web and I didn’t want to offend anyone!
My new URL is http://legacyrosecottage.blogspot.com
I love this post and THIS: “If the Lord isn’t helping me, I guess I’d better give birth to my own idea”
Wow. Give birth to our own ideas. I will be thinking about that one! The scripture verse you ended with was very timely as well.
Thank you so much for these words. We have been in the waiting for a very long time.
Have a blessed week!
Hi Leah Rose!! Yay! We can be in contact with each other now. I am so happy about that
Thank you for your reflection on the post. You are right! We have been waiting a long time. Looking forward to ‘seeing’ you again.
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
Oh my goodness, such a great post! Abraham and Sarah are one off my favorites from the bible. I love the dedication they had and the waiting from the Lord, that perfect timing. Oh so good. And, yes I think we could be writing twins! I have the dynamite on hand and I’ll fight with the soldiers of Christ! I’m generally a patient person, but when it comes to inquiring of the Lord, yay it can get a little unsettling at times.
I hope you have a great week!
Blessings,
Amy
Hi Twin! Thank goodness someone else has dynamite…I am so impatient sometimes! Thank you for your supportive comment, my good friend
Makes me feel like I’m not alone.
Peace in Christ (I think that means I have to ‘drop the dynamite’ LOL!),
Ceil
Ceil, I love that “sit tight” till God’s timing is right! That’s so hard to do! Too many times I’ve taken things into my own hands, just like Sarah. Yes, I’ve laughed too.
Thanks for sharing your heart and words of encouragement!!
Hi Kristi! Tell me about it, I am so tired of running ahead of God (I am sure he’s pretty tired of it too).
Thanks for coming over here to read and visit!
Happy Monday,
Ceil
God is so faithful but he will stand firm in the testing and stretching times,he planned our journey before we were ever born.Keep standing, reaching and believing The waiting will be so worth it.
Blessings
Hi Debra! I know that you are familiar with waiting…thank you for your encouragement for me to wait too.
I need to learn to ‘sit tight’ more often.
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
God arrives just on time – never too early, never too late – I am learning to live the journey of the wait:) The bible tells us over and over again, that God’s people are not perfect – but oh, how He loves them – I’m learning that, too!
Have a blessed week:) Thanks for the reminder!
Maryleigh
Hi Maryleigh! So nice to ‘see’ you here again
You are so right that God loves us through our imperfections, just like he loved this couple so long ago. They ran ahead of God, but he was so good to them, and never forgot the promise. Good News indeed.
Blessings!
Ceil
Oh how I identify with Sarai and Abram. We can convince ourselves that the different way we’ve fanagled must be what GOD wants us to do as we don’t see Him acting in any other way. From my personal experience and from Abram’s example, I’ve learned my way can take years to set straight…and there are always consequences.
Hi Connie! So nice to meet you through SDG.
I know! Being patient and silent and waiting for God are the things I need to do most.
Glad to see you here!
Blessings,
Ceil
Ceil – This is such a word for me today. Wait on the Lord, trust Him, be patience for He is faithful! Amen! We have been watching the Bible series & just finished the Abram part. Seems God is speaking to me…
So glad to have you linking at UNITE today!
Blessings, Jen
Hi Jen! Thank you for the opportunity to link, and to meet such nice bloggers.
I am so glad that this post spoke to you today. I hope you will come back to visit again, and we can get to know each other!
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
Oh, that waiting. It’s never easy for me. But I’m thankful for stories like this one to remind me that God always does keep his promises, and they’re worth waiting for!
Hi Lisa! Thank you so much for visiting!
Waiting is not an easy thing for most of us, I’m coming to realize. Like you, I know his promises are worth waiting for, so I’ve got some work to do
Happy to follow you by email,
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
Oh, yes. Yes, I have struck out on my own. But I am thankful that I am learning that His way is the best way, even if it doesn’t seem so on the surface. So glad you are a part of our SDG group!
Hi Jen! I am so happy to be a part too!
We are in good company trying out on our own. God was so kind to Abram and Sarai even when they roamed…we have hope!
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
This is so good, Ceil! The idea that God has not forgotten us, that His plans are always on time, gives us hope and patience to wait. Blessings to you!
Hi Angel! Always so good to see you!
I agree that we do have hope, I just have to keep my oar in and try!
Blessings,
Ceil
Ceil, this is a word that I needed to hear today. I just need to remember that God teaches us so much in the ‘wait’…
Blessings to you ~ Mary
Hi Mary! I am so glad that this post resonated with you today. I think the theme of waiting is one that we all can relate to in some way or another.
Thanks for coming over here today
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
“God would act when the time was right” – such a good reminder to trust in His timing and not our own. We are not always so good at waiting but what a trust that develops when we do! Good words Ceil : )
Hi Mindy! Great to see you here! We do gain trust in God, but only by trusting. I do need to improve my waiting time
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
Oh wow. This is wonderful Ceil
thank you for reminding me through this encouraging post. love this story too and so true..I love how you bring the readers to catch that the Lord never forget His promises.
Thank you so much for beautiful comment on my blog other day. It really sweet and beautiful and made my day. I’m glad to meet you too as family in Christ…
I’ve been praying to meet my american friends
been praying for you.
Delvalina
Hi Delvalina!
Thank you for your supportive comment! It is so good that God is so faithful.
I will pray for you too. I know that God is with you.
Peace in Christ,
Ceil
I love that God never forgets His promises to us. There have been times I think He’s forgotten me, but it’s never worked to go and make them come true myself. Oh what a big mess I make! This was an encouraging post–I felt it fill my heart in reference to some prayers I’m praying.
Hi Pamela! Thank you for coming over to visit me!
I am so glad that this post spoke to you, and gave you some encouragement. What an honor it is to serve each other, isn’t it? I’ll come over and visit your blog too, I am sure you will have good words for me too.
Happy Tuesday!
Ceil