God’s promises require our trust regardless of our circumstances...

This week, we have been looking at a conversation between a man named Abraham and God that is recorded for us in a section of the very first letter in our Bible, called the book of Genesis. Wednesday, we saw Abraham respond to God reminding him that he would have a son by laughing in astonished amazement. Abraham laughed because he viewed it to be incredible to even consider the possibility that he and Sarah could have a son. Abraham laughed because he assumed that his descendants would come through Ishmael, who was the result of their lack of patience in God’s promises. In the back of his mind, there was a part of Abraham that believed that his plans would trump God’s promises.

The Lord responds to Abraham’s astonished amazement by reinforcing His promises and rebuking Abraham’s plans. As the Lord departed from Abraham and went back to Heaven, Abraham responded by faithfully following God’s command. Today, as we jump back into this story, we will see Abraham and Sarah have another encounter and conversation with the Lord. A conversation that is recorded for us in Genesis 18:1:

 Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth, and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. "Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree; and I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant." And they said, "So do, as you have said." So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes." Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it. He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.

Moses records for us that a short time after the Lord returned to Heaven, the Lord, accompanied by two angels appear to Abraham. From Abraham’s perspective, the Lord and His two angels appeared like men. And as it was in the middle of the afternoon in the scorching heat of the dessert, Abraham offered hospitality. But, from the beginning, Abraham’s response made it clear that Abraham recognized that there was something special and significant about these three travelers.

Abraham and Sarah responded to the presence of these three travelers with extreme generosity. Abraham and Sarah, who was in the tent making provisions, used over 6 gallons of flour to make bread for just three men. In addition, the couple provides curds and milk to quench their thirst and add flavor to the meal, along with killing a choice animal to provide the best steak possible.

In addition to being very generous, Abraham was also very humble. Abraham spent his time serving the three men as they ate their meal. Abraham was the host with the most who served the best of the best out of generosity. And it is in this context that the Lord engages Abraham and Sarah in another conversation in verse 9:

Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "There, in the tent." He said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was past childbearing.

Now when Moses reminds us that Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; and that Sarah was past childbearing, we need to remember that Abraham is 99 years old. Sarah is 90 and is on the other side of menopause. I imagine that sex was not what it once was for Abraham and Sarah. Now in case you thing I am making more about this than what is there, just look at Sarah’s response to the idea of having a child in verse 12:

Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"

This phrase literally means, “after my wearing out, have I had sexual pleasure?” You see, God did not promise that He would provide them a child, by just placing a baby in Sarah’s belly. No, Abraham and Sarah were going to have a baby the old fashioned way. They were going to have to perform. Without Viagra or any other pharmaceutical aids.

They were going to have to get past their age; they were going to have to get past Sarah’s menopause; apparently, they were going to have to get past the fact that intimacy between them was not as pleasurable as it used to be. However, while Sarah laughed to herself, what she thought was a laugh to herself was a laugh out loud, as we see in verse 13:

 And the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?'  "Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." Sarah denied it however, saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh."

The Lord responds to Sarah’s private laughter about her and Abraham’s lack of intimacy and pleasure by calling Sarah out publicly in front of Abraham. And as the Lord calls Sarah out for her doubt, we see the Lord ask them both a very pointed question: Is anything too difficult for the LORD? And it as at this point that Abraham and Sarah had a decision to make. Were they going to focus on their circumstances? Or were they going to trust in God’s promises regardless of their circumstances. Abraham and Sarah were going to have to act on with confident trust in God and his promises.

And it is here, in this conversation, that we see God reveal to us a timeless truth when it comes to God’s promises. And that timeless truth is that God’s promises require our trust regardless of our circumstances. Just as it was for Abraham and Sarah; just as it has been for humanity throughout history; experiencing God and the promises of God require a response. And that response is independent of our circumstances.

Just as it was for Abraham and Sarah, God has provided us clear direction when it comes to how we are to live in relationship with Him. And God’s direction has been the same throughout history: live a life of faithfulness and integrity that is driven by our confident trust in God and the word of God, regardless of our circumstances.

You see, God does not command us to be sinless, because none of us are or can be sinless. We all have done selfish and rebellious things that have hurt God and others.  Instead God commands us, regardless of our circumstances, to strive to follow Him by faith, as we live lives of integrity. Our lives are to be faithful and create the space for what only God can do as the promise maker and the promise keeper.

So here is the question for us to consider: Where is your focus? Are you focused on your circumstances? Or are you focused on living a life of faithfulness and integrity that is driven by our confident trust in God and the word of God, regardless of our circumstances?