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Sarah's Profile
There probably isn't anything
harder to do than wait, whether we are expecting something good, something bad,
or unknown.
One way we often cope with a long wait (or even a short one)
is to begin helping God get his plan into action. Sarah tried this approach. She
was too old to expect to have a child of her own, so she thought God must have
something else in mind. From Sarah's limited point of view this could only be to
give Abraham a son through another woman - a common practice in her day. The
plan seemed harmless enough. Abraham would sleep with Sarah's maidservant, who
would then give birth to a child. Sarah would take the child as her own. The
plan worked beautifully - at first. But as you read about the events that
followed, you will be struck by how often Sarah must have regretted the day she
decided to push God's timetable ahead.
Another way we cope with a long wait is to gradually conclude
that what we're waiting for is never going to happen. Sarah waited 90 years for
a baby! When God told her she would finally have one of her own, she laughed,
not so much from a lack of faith in what God could do, but from doubt about what
he could do through her. When confronted about her laughter, she lied -
as she had seen her husband do from time to time. She probably didn't want her
true feelings to be known.
What parts of your life seem to be on hold right now? Do you
understand that this may be part of God's plan for you? The Bible has more than
enough clear direction to keep us busy while we're waiting for some particular
part of life to move ahead.
Sarah's Strengths and Accomplishments
1. Was intensely loyal to her own child
2. Became the mother of a nation and an ancestor of Jesus
3. Was a woman of faith, the first woman listed in the Hall of Faith in Hebrews
11
Sarah's Weaknesses and Mistakes
1. Had trouble believing God's promises to her
2. Attempted to work problems out on her own, without consulting God
3. Tried to cover her faults by blaming others
Lessons from
Sarah's Life
1. God responds to faith even in the midst of
failure
2. God is not bound by what usually happens; he can stretch the limits and cause
unheard-of events to occur
Sarah's Vital Statistics
1. Where: Married Abram in Ur of the Chaldeans,
then moved with him to Canaan
2. Occupation: Wife, mother, household manger
3. Relatives: Father: Terah. Husband: Abraham. Half brothers: Nahor and Haran.
Nephew: Lot. Son: Isaac
Key Verse
"By faith Abraham, even though he was past age -
and Sarah herself was barren - was enable to become a father because he
considered him faithful who had made the promise" (Hebrews 11:11).
Sarah's story is told in Genesis 11-25. She is
also mentioned in Isaiah 51:2; Romans 4:19; Romans 9:9; Hebrews 11"11; 1st Peter
3:6.
Taken from The Life Application Study Bible -
NIV - Zondervan
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