Waiting.
Can’t say that I have mastered the art of waiting. Not sure if it is the momentum of the present day culture that distracts me from the mandate in scripture to “wait” or just an unsettledness woven into the fabric of my personality. Either way I confess I am clearly not a professional waiter.
When I look back on my spiritual journey with God, I realized that there have been times that my waiting wasn't wasted and the things that I had hoped for did, in fact, come to pass in spite of my weakness in waiting well. But still there are others that clearly have yet to come to account. I find myself wearying in my waiting.
In scripture, we find someone that we can grab a little encouragement from when there seems to be no end to the waiting process. This past week, we gathered together in Women’s Bible study to examine the life of our sister Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Most of us remember her mainly for her taking matters into her own hands and trying to fulfill God’s promise of a child through her maidservant Hagar. The general perception is that she wasn’t very good at waiting. Can’t imagine how many people throughout history have used her as a model of what not to do rather then applauding her for what she did do. Let’s take a brief overview of Sarah’s call to wait.
- Sarah is married to Abraham.
- God speaks to Abraham and tells him to leave his country of origin and travel to an unknown land. Abraham obeys and Sarah goes with.
- Sarah leaves all her friends, family, and all that was familiar to share whatever Abraham’s future held. She was sixty.
- Fast forward seventeen years and Sarah is still without the promised heir. She is now 77 and well beyond her child bearing years.
- Since bearing children was seen as a duty and a privilege, Sarah decided to adopt the solution that was prevalent in the Middle Eastern culture at that time. This custom encouraged a woman to use a surrogate to produce offspring for their husbands. Keep in mind there was no law at this time and Abraham and Sarah were still learning about who God was and what He could do. This is where Hagar becomes part of the patriarchal picture and gives birth to Ishmael.
- Thirteen years after Ishmael is born, God again appears to Abraham and confirms that Sarah would bear Abram a son. One year later, the promise is fulfilled and Isaac is birthed.
Since I am really good at math, I thought I would break this down for you.
60 Sarah’s age when leaving her home land.
+17 # years making their way to Canaan and then living there.
+13 # years of waiting after Ishmael is born.
=90 Age when God reconfirms promise and Isaac is born.
-60 Original age when Sarah left her home land.
=30 Years Sarah spent in waiting.
I don’t know about you but that is a very long time by my standards. Probably by yours as well. As we talked about this during class, a question was presented. Why did God make them wait so long? I have heard several answers to this question over the years. Some were that God had them wait to show that it had to be God, or perhaps it had to be God’s perfect timing, or maybe it was to display the difference between the law and grace (a whole different theological discussion that would revolve around charts and a sweeping course of study that would span the old and new testament a like). But something occurred to me that I hadn’t ever thought of and it is reflected in the following scripture.
“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD; look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was but one, and I blessed him and made him many.” Isaiah 51:1-2
These words come from God at a time when Israel was desperately waiting for His deliverance. Things had not been going well and God was encouraging them not to lose heart. Notice whom He sites as an example to follow, your father Abraham and Sarah who gave you birth. Even as God seemed to have tarried in His promise to Abraham and Sarah and was still faithful, He would be to them too!
Scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:11 “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warning for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.”
Could it be that part of why God allowed Abraham and Sarah to wait for so long was because He knew that we would have times in our lives where we would have to wait too? Could it be that Sarah is an example for us to follow rather then a woman to be criticized? Knowing God’s heart and tenderness towards His people I would lean towards the former rather then the latter. I think God knows how hard it is for us to wait. I think He knows our struggles with insecurity and fear. I think He is aware of the root of why we can’t stand waiting. But in spite of it all, our feelings don’t change his faithfulness. Perhaps you find yourself wearying in waiting, don’t let how you feel change who God is and His promise to you. He doesn’t change. The same God that was faithful to Abraham your father and Sarah who gave you birth, will be faithful to you.
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36
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