A humbled and open heart is fertile soil for God’s seeds of wisdom. Establishing deeper roots requires analyzing God’s word to discover truths, values, and lessons for application to our lives. Periodically, a scripture or passage calls for further exploration, like Genesis 18:6-15.
So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 7 Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees. 9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.
10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 12 So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.” But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”
Genesis 18:6-15 NLT
Our passage from Genesis picks up in the middle of the Lord visiting Abraham. Abraham has extended an offer of hospitality and is now telling his wife, Sarah, to prepare the best available foods for their meal. They quickly work to finish preparations to feed their guests. As Abraham waited on the men, an exchange happened that shifts not only the lineage, but the faith of Abraham and Sarah. A question of location and declaration of offspring to come was met with Sarah’s laughter. Sarah’s disbelief was met with the Lord’s truth; nothing is too hard for Him.
Whenever the Lord asks a question, He already knows the answer. The question is for us to look inwardly. In Sarah’s case, the Lord knew she was in the tent, but her heart was in a place of disbelief. She had been barren for years and now in old age. Perhaps, she had abandoned hope of having children. She knew the promise that God had given Abraham, to make him have offspring as numerous as stars. Yet, how could that be when her womb would not bear children? In this scripture, God counters her disbelief with a heart check and reminder of His truth.
Awareness is the first step of walking in the fullness of God’s promises. We have to be aware of where our emotions or mindsets have caused us to drift away from the truth of God. When God answers our prayers with questions, it’s not to frustrate or abandon us. It’s to turn the mirror back towards ourselves for reexamination. There may be something that we’re holding on to that God wants us to release before He can move.
Is there something that you’ve been clinging tightly to this season? Have you asked the Father to help you release it so that you can receive all that He has for you?
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