While Waiting

1 The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on--since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." (Genesis 18:1-5)

When Abraham and Sarah were still Abram and Sarai, God gave them a promise that their descendants would outnumber the stars. When God said this, they were already advanced in age and had no children. Approximately 10 years later, seeing no progress (although God had reiterated the promise), the couple questioned if they had misunderstood God - maybe Sarah was too old for God's promise to be fulfilled through her. So they made a plan to "help" God. Sarah offered her servant, Hagar, to Abraham, and Ishmael was born.

As if to get Abraham and Sarah back on track, the Lord visited them - appearing as three men. Although Abraham only offered them some shade, water to wash their feet, and little bread, he actually prepared lavishly for them: curds and milk, and a tender calf. One of the three visitors, then, reaffirmed the promise, and specifically mentioned Sarah.

10 Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. (Genesis 18:10)

Each time this couple heard God's promise, they must have wanted to complain that they'd heard it all before. At one point Abraham even asked what God would give him to prove that the promise would be fulfilled (Genesis 15). It would be approximately 15 more years after the Lord visited them before Sarah would give birth to Isaac. Even when Abraham and Sarah wavered, doubted, and misunderstood the promise, God remained faithful. Just as Abraham served the Lord extravagantly even though the promise had not yet been fulfilled, we can choose to serve God with our whole heart even when we don't understand what God is doing, even when we have tried to fix our own situation, even when we doubt. God's faithfulness overcomes our failings. Thanks be to God.

5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." 7 And she said, "Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age." (Genesis 21:5-8)