7/15/19
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Old Testament reading from Genesis 18 contains a very telling observation. In verse 12, hearing that she was to have a child in her old age, Sarah laughed to herself. She knew that old ladies don’t bear children, especially after not having children during the many years of her married life. Sarah didn’t think it possible that she would have the blessing of a child. It was not something humanly possible. It was really laughable.
What does God do with Sarah’s unbelief? Her natural understanding of natural processes said it was not possible that she would have a child. It would be as unexpected as if I were to get into my truck and fly home with the invisibility cloaking turned on. It’s one of those things which simply can’t happen. God understands when our unbelief is really disbelief because his actions would have to be miraculous. He does not chasten Sarah for her disbelief. He simply tells her that she will, in fact, see the miraculous happen and she will know that it is just as miraculous as she thought it would be.
We are reminded in this passage that the true God of the Bible is able to do the impossible. It is not a problem for the creator and sustainer of this world to make things happen. He is the Lord of life. He is able to bring life.
We ask ourselves, then, what is the Lord of life doing in our generation? How is he bringing forgiveness and life to us, our community, our nation, and our world? How does he provide for the needs of his people? How is He working in this world as we await his coming in final judgment? He is the Lord of all, able to work in each according to his mercy and grace.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Old Testament reading from Genesis 18 contains a very telling observation. In verse 12, hearing that she was to have a child in her old age, Sarah laughed to herself. She knew that old ladies don’t bear children, especially after not having children during the many years of her married life. Sarah didn’t think it possible that she would have the blessing of a child. It was not something humanly possible. It was really laughable.
What does God do with Sarah’s unbelief? Her natural understanding of natural processes said it was not possible that she would have a child. It would be as unexpected as if I were to get into my truck and fly home with the invisibility cloaking turned on. It’s one of those things which simply can’t happen. God understands when our unbelief is really disbelief because his actions would have to be miraculous. He does not chasten Sarah for her disbelief. He simply tells her that she will, in fact, see the miraculous happen and she will know that it is just as miraculous as she thought it would be.
We are reminded in this passage that the true God of the Bible is able to do the impossible. It is not a problem for the creator and sustainer of this world to make things happen. He is the Lord of life. He is able to bring life.
We ask ourselves, then, what is the Lord of life doing in our generation? How is he bringing forgiveness and life to us, our community, our nation, and our world? How does he provide for the needs of his people? How is He working in this world as we await his coming in final judgment? He is the Lord of all, able to work in each according to his mercy and grace.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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