Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Genesis 18:15
Funny how GOD arranges concurrencies to really drive home a message He doesn’t want me to miss! My devotions in the last couple of weeks have been like wading through mud trying to see what GOD was getting at in relation to applications for my own life. That’s really unusual for me in the last few years so I knew something was wrong but I couldn’t seem to find my way out of the funk.
I switched things up this morning and watched a weekend wrap-up on Lysa TerKeurst’s First 5 app before reading my passages for the day. That was a GOD-ordained move! She was talking on Exodus 6 — how GOD was telling Moses over and over that this wasn’t about his perfection. He was just the messenger and GOD was going to do all the heavy lifting to fulfill His promises because that was His character. Charisma, speaking ability or personal accomplishment did not matter. This was GOD’s show and the outcome only depended on Him showing up which He will never fail to do.
This made me go back to the passage in Genesis that I read yesterday about Sarah’s gut level instinctive first reaction to hearing God say she was going to bear a child at 90 years of age — she laughed. By human standards, it seemed ludicrous. It still seems ludicrous today so we can understand how she might mistake it for a tongue in cheek joke and laugh at the apparent absurdity of the idea that a 90-year-old woman was going to get pregnant and carry a healthy baby to term.
Her doubt and fear reaction, however, did not stop GOD from keeping His promise because it did not depend on her perfect understanding or getting it right the first time or every time. She just had to show up and do the small part that GOD asked of her, just like Moses just had to show up and be the messenger and let GOD do the rest. He was not the deliverer, GOD was. Sarah could not bring about the promised blessings by her own manipulations and connivings. That was all and only GOD’s job.
Sarah laughed. Moses made excuses. Both felt unqualified and incapable, not up to the task that GOD assigned them. Fortunately, as Lysa pointed out it is not up to me to be sufficient on my own, to earn GOD’s favor through some superior performance. It is more about trusting His promises and His faithfulness to do exactly what He said He will do no matter who understands or approves of the job He has given me.
Even when others laugh, mock and doubt and try to pull my attention away from His promise, He is still faithful. Even when I look too long at the giants and the waves around me and let doubts and fears creep in and accuse me of failure and inadequacy, He is still faithful. He will always do as He has promised.
Though I still have to be responsible with doing what GOD asks me to do, it is never about my doubts, fears or failures. GOD will still and always be faithful to keep His promises!
Dear LORD,
Thank You for sticking with me and helping me see Your Truth even when my vision and emotions get blurry. Thank You for bringing together the concurrent sources of the same Truth to break through the crust of habit and familiarity and show me a very timely Truth. Help me to hold onto Your promises and do the part You assign me no matter what anyone else thinks. It’s not about me or my reputation, cleverness, wit or power, but only about showcasing Your faithfulness to bring about that which can only happen when Your hand is in it. Take my doubts, fears and failures and transform them for Your glory that all the world may know that You are the GOD who sees, hears and knows the secrets of my fickle heart and still remains faithful to Your promises. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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Blessings!
Tamara Christine
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous for the LORD your GOD will go with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
I am not ashamed for I know in Whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard that which I have entrusted to Him until that day. 2 Timothy 2:12
Tamara Christine Writes 