The more I study the word of God, the more I stand amazed by God’s power to do what seems impossible. However, whatever we think is impossible, Almighty God makes possible!

Continuing with our series on the covenant between God and Abraham, we will take a look at Abraham’s wife, Sarah. After God commanded Abraham to be circumcised, as well as to circumcise every male among the people of Israel, God reaffirms His promise of a descendant:

“Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. “And I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” Genesis 17:15-17

Abraham was not young when God commanded him to be circumcised, yet once again, we see that Abraham had a very special relationship with God; he chose to obey God, even at the age of one hundred, with a command that may seem senseless to us today.

However, the test did not stop there; even Abraham – who is considered the father of our faith – had areas in which he needed to trust God to render the impossible possible. God tells Abraham that his wife, Sarai, will birth the promised son who will carry on his line. It seemed impossible, as Abraham was 100 years old, and his wife Sarah was ninety years old.

That same promise was later affirmed to Abraham in Genesis 18 when the Angel of the Lord (most likely the Lord Himself) told Abraham, “Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “Behold, in the tent.” and he said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing. And Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’ “Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.” Genesis 18:9-15

It is interesting that God affirms this promise again and again, as He wants us to pay close attention to this very specific account and covenant (something which we will study in the next few blog entries). However, once again we see that Abraham and Sarah were having a hard time believing that this would happen.

What can we glean from this? My brothers and sisters, I want to encourage us to fix our eyes on God alone, and stand on His promises. Let’s remember that His ways are not our ways; even if His ways are mysterious to us, we can trust that He is faithful and true.

In the days to come, when things will get worse before they get better, let us remember the great promises of old, and remember that the God we believe in today is indeed the same God of Abraham and Sarah…the God of the Impossible.

Shabbat Shalom,

Moran