Sarah: God's Timing is Aways Best

I apologize for the delay in this blog post. Things have been crazy busy, and I was having some technical difficulties as well.  Thank you, for understanding and being patient with me! :)

Her Story

“Is anything too hard for God?” This question was the question of Sarah’s life. She failed to answer it correctly on many occasions and downright ignored it on others. But, no matter how she reacted to that question, it was always right in front of her.

She left all her comforts and family and home to follow her husband into an unknown future. She blindly obeyed her husband when they went down to Egypt. She tried to take matters into her own hands and almost ruined God’s plan. She laughed at God’s promises, then was amazed when they all came to pass.  She was doubtful and selfish, yet she became the mother of the nations.

Sarah is a clear example of the importance of waiting for God’s perfect way in God’s perfect timing.  She did not like God’s timing and decided to do things according to what she thought should be God's timing.  She did what she perceived to be the right thing, but the results were disastrous.  Her lack of faith and her impatience nearly ruined everything.  She did not see “the big picture” the way God saw it. 

God uses us in spite of us to prove that absolutely NOTHING is too hard for Him! Our greatest weaknesses become our greatest strengths in His hands.  And, I don’t know about you, but that thought absolutely brings me to my knees before my holy, wonderful God!!!

Her Life and Times

In Sarah’s day and time, names were so very important.  A person’s name signified a person’s character or told of their station in life. The name that mothers and fathers gave their children often would give a glimpse of their personal experiences and their personal stories.  Sarah naming her son Isaac was so very significant.  Isaac means “laughter,” which we all know refers to the time when Sarah laughed at God’s that she would have a son.  Sarah naming her son “laughter” indicates acknowledgement of her unbelief and an excitement and joy over God’s fulfilled promise. 

Can you just imagine what her reaction was when Isaac became old enough to ask her what his name meant?  Sarah had the wonderful opportunity to tell him about the wonderful promise of a wonderful God that was fulfilled, in spite of her incredible unbelief.  She was reminded, every time she said her son’s name, that nothing is too hard for God.

Her Promise

I often find myself acting a lot like Sarah in my day to day life.  I think, sometimes I think that “waiting” for God is laziness and, I often find myself thinking that I can do this myself, and I get in God’s way. 

God’s timing is the best timing. When I start to feel impatient, I need only remember Sara, whose life began with a promise and ended with laughter.

Her Legacy of Prayer

“Gods hints at His purpose for you by planting dreams within your heart.”

What dreams do I have? Maybe, some of them are not part of God’s will and He doesn’t want me to pursue them.  Sometimes, I may look and concentrate on and work towards the dreams that God does not plan to fulfill in my life.  I need to be willing to give up the dreams that I have in order to let Him work His plan and dream in my life and allow Him to fill me with joy and laughter that my own dreams never could bring me.

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Today, I heard a song that I think goes along with this post so perfectly and was a reminder, to me, of what God is wanting to teach me thru Sarah's life.

 It's called "Already There" by Casting Crowns...

From where I'm standing,
Lord, it's so hard for me to see
Where this is going
And where You're leading me;
I wish I knew how
All my fears and all my questions
Are gonna play out
In a world I can't control

When I'm lost in the mystery,
To You my future is a memory,
Cause You're already there,
You're already there.
Standing at the end of my life,
Waiting on the other side,
And You're already there,
You're already there

From where You're standing,
Lord, You see a grand design
That You imagined
When You breathed me into life;
And all the chaos
Comes together in Your hands,
Like a masterpiece
Of Your picture perfect plan

When I'm lost in the mystery
To You my future is a memory
Cause You're already there
You're already there
Standing at the end of my life
Waiting on the other side
And You're already there
You're already there

One day I'll stand before You
And look back on the life I've lived
I can't wait to enjoy the view
And see how all the pieces fit...

When I'm lost in the mystery
To You my future is a memory
Cause You're already there
You're already there
Standing at the end of my life
Waiting on the other side
And You're already there
You're already there

Eve: Perfection Doesn't Equal Contentment

This year, in my devotions, I am going to be studying the Women of the Bible.  I have a little devotional book that I will follow, and each week, I will study a new woman in the Bible. I am very excited about this study, and I thought that I maybe would share it on my blog.  It provides some accountability for me, and hopefully, the Lord will use this study to help you, as well as me! :)

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EVE

I have to admit, when I began to study the story of Eve, I thought to myself “What could I possibly learn from Eve that I haven’t learned before?”  I mean, I’ve heard her story at least once a year, ever since I was in nursery at church.  But God showed me her story in a completely different light this week, and now, I would like to share with you! :)

Eve:  Her Story

The story of Eve is one that almost every person, Christian and non-Christian alike, knows.  “Eve? Why yes, I have heard of her.  She ate that forbidden fruit and now we all live with the consequences!  Dumb Eve!”  That is how she is often viewed…just a silly woman who did her own thing and ruined life for everybody else!

But there is so much more to Eve.  Think about it…Eve knew what it was like to be perfect! She had the perfect body, complexion, life, and, of course, the perfect man! She knew a level of living that we will never know until we get to Heaven.  She also had a perfect and personal fellowship with the Creator of the world! She literally walked with God every day! She also knew God’s perfect will…God had given her a wonderful man, life, and environment for which she had been specifically created.

But all that changed one day, the day she allowed herself to listen to Satan.

It’s interesting, to me, the way that Satan worked in this story.  First of all, he found a way to sneak into a perfect Garden.  But, he had to be very subtle, indeed.  He couldn’t tempt that “dark place” inside Eve.  He didn’t attack her with her besetting sin, because she had never sinned!  No…he tempted her with what she already had.  He used the perfection around her and tempted her with it…he suggested that her life could be better than it already was.  That there was something else she needed to make her life even more perfect. 

And for some reason, she fell for it!  It seems so silly to us, yet, we do the same thing in our lives.  Many times, Satan uses our surroundings or the good things around us to tempt us.  He can turn our best intents and desires and use them to bring us down.

Eve grew discontent with her perfect life and wanted just a little bit more.  He made her second guess God’s will and take matters into her own hands.  In a moment of weakness and hesitation, Eve gave up what she wanted most for what she wanted at the moment! And the consequences were long-lasting.

If the devil would tempt perfect Eve with discontentment and doubt, then how much more will he try to temp us with such things?  He will try to sneak into our thoughts and desires and motives, just as he did with Eve, and cause to us become discontent with God’s blessings in our lives. 

Her Life and Times

Eve was the first woman ever. This means every feeling, emotion and experience she encountered had never happened before…she had no one to explain what it means to be a woman to her.  She had to face that pain and fear on her own. 

Eve was such a brave woman. She had faith in God and in her husband, but she also had inner strength as well. She was a fighter. She was the first woman to experience child birth!  She probably was so very scared. I imagine that while she was in labor, she thought about the sin she’d committed. She knew this was the consequence of her discontent and doubt. But she also knew that God was with her and that His Grace would help her thru the dark, painful times. 

Imagine what she must have felt when she looked at her baby boy for the first time?  She knew that the small child she held in her arms was proof of God’s grace! We may do some terrible things and grieve God, but He will never turn us away when we repent.  Yes,  we have to live with the consequences of our sin, but He will find ways to help us and let us know He’s always there.  He didn’t forsake Eve and He won’t forsake us!

Her Promise

“Sometimes, God’s grace is most often beautifully evident within His judgments.”

“When you’re at your lowest, on your knees before God’s judgment, never forget that His grace is still at work.”

Eve shows us grace in suffering and trials.  Even in our dark times, God is there right beside us, step by step.  What a truly amazing God we serve!

Her Legacy of Prayer

Eve’s story gives us the promise of a Redeemer who will come to crush the serpent’s head!  It also teaches that God had specifically created each and every one of us for a special and unique purpose, and we may have the tendency to mar that image and do our own will.  But God has a bigger purpose, and we must trust Him completely!

“I was made for Paradise.  The joys I now taste are infinitesimal compared to those that await me in Heaven.”  But, unfortunately, sin has made this earth completely opposite of Paradise!  But, in the midst of judgment and trials, God always is there and always offers hope. We must strive to not allow discontentment and doubt to keep us from Gods’ perfect will. God had a wonderful purpose in creating each of us and we must allow Him to help us reach that potential, in Him!