By Faith even…
“She knew from experience that to live a life of faith she was not only asked to abstain from human security, but also to be patient.” Gien Karssen in Her Name Is Called Woman
This sentence really struck a cord with me this week. I read it and re-read it knowing God was trying to speak to me. When we think of Sarah in the bible, we remember she laughed when told she was going to conceive a child in her old age, she was the mother of Isaac, and we know that Sarah tried to help God by allowing her husband conceive a child with one of her maids.
I saw another side of Sarah this week, one that made me want to weep because I could relate to her. Sarah had to leave her family to follow Abram when God asked him to leave his birth place. They settled in a new place, one that was not as affluent as the one she left behind, but she managed to make a life for herself. But just as Sarah was settling into life, the Lord had them move again. Once again she left her friends and the remainder of her family, except for one cousin.
You don’t read verses where she argued with Abram for uprooting her, you don’t hear her being angry at God for making her leave her family. She had faith in God’s promise for their life. The promise that through Abraham he will become a father of a great nation, and they will be blessed by God. Sarah believed, and she loved and honored her husband, even if she did not know where they were going and why.
I wish I could say the same thing in my life. God moved me away from my family, only once. I pouted like a little girl, I argued and was angry at God. God called Sarah to abstain from human security. People in our life are here to offer us encouragement, to strengthen us (iron sharpens iron), and to seek wisdom from. People should never be a security in our life, only Christ is that security.
Sarah was asked to abstain from human security and to be patient. My first thought while reading that, was yeah, right. You are asking the impossible. But the Lord began to work on my heart while reading about Sarah’s life. I believe one of the reasons God did move me across the US from my family is because I relied heavily on human security and the only way he could get through to my heart is to separate me from them.
Secondly, Sarah was asked to be patient. She was not patient, she tried to help God along the way by allowing her husband to conceive a son through her maid. Sometimes we make a royal mess of things and get in God’s way. Because of Sarah’s impatience we are still feeling it effects today in the Middle East.
What impressed me most is that Sarah did have strong faith in God’s promises, she loved and honored her husband just as Christ honors the church, but she did make a royal mess in other areas in her life. What was the outcome?
She was listed in God’s Hall of Faith, “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life since she considered Him faithful who had promised.” (Heb 11:11 ESV)
Sarah lived through many sacrifices, she had to abstain from things and people she loved, she endured heartbreak but you never hear her doubting God or questioning His promises to their family. I pray I endure hardships with the same grace and inner beauty as Sarah.
Heavenly Father, thank you for being my firm foundation and security. Help me not to place security in humans but only you. Thank you that you can look upon Sarah with a tender heart even when she tried to get in the way. I pray I develop the same grace and endurance as Sarah had. Amen.
Sarah, I identify so much with Sarah. I too have been impatient in waiting for God’s promises, trying to help them along, and have sacrificed security in the midst of it. The Lord has reminded me over and over again of His plans for me through Sarah (NOT that I will have a kid when I am old :)) and He has used Sarah to remind me how to treat my husband. I long to be like Sarah, uncomplaining and trusting. Thank you for writing this Laurel.
Thanks for sharing this dear Laurel.
I love reading about Sarah and you did a great job reminding me why I love her!
Amen to that, Laurel…I have been in the same situation as you have. God had to move me across the ocean to show me that I was relying too much on human security aka family.
Thank you so much for sharing from your heart, my friend.
Blessings to you and yours.
I had never looked at Sarah’s life in that way Laurel. I think we tend to focus on the times she messed up. I am always so thankful for the very real people God has introduced us to in scripture. They were just like us – doing some things so well and failing miserably at others. The fact that God continued to love them and not only love them but honor them always gives me hope.
Thank you for this beautiful snapshot of a very human Sarah.
Laurel,
What a beautiful prayer. I am praying it over my life today as well.
People should never be a security in our life, only Christ is that security. –Thank you!