Daily Light - January 11, 2011

Daily Light from the Lighthouse
40 Days of Faith

"By faith Sarah herself received also received strength to conceive seed,

and she bore a child when she was past the age,

because she judged Him faithful who had promised."

Hebrews 11:11

This story sounds like something you would read on one of those tabloid magazines at the grocery store. "90 year old woman has child with 100 year old man. Pictures inside!" We can grasp the stories of people like Hannah and Rachel in the Bible who were young but barren and God opened their womb but 90 year old Sarah? This is a test of faith to even believe such a thing!
Sarah had demonstrated faith during the entire journey of her life. When we read of Abraham and his faith to go out into the unknown, we often fail to remember this precious lady that was by his side through all of it. She had also left everything that she knew out of trust that her husband was responding to the voice of the Lord. Whenever Abraham listened to God and obeyed, she listened to her husband and did likewise. Do you think she ever wondered about the direction they were going and why? This journey of faith they were on seemed so surreal, but she kept following by faith. Then one day, her faith was shaken. It was told to Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child. They had longed for a child their entire life, but it physically was not to be. When the Angel of the Lord said that this miracle would come about, Sarah couldn't help but laugh. The image in her mind of a senior citizen registering for baby gifts at the department store was too funny. However, with God all things are possible.
At some point in her life Sarah by faith trusted God at His word. She took faith in the fact that He could do that which was impossible for man. She knew her "weakness" and relied on His strength to give her this child. It is when we admit our weakness that we really demonstrate the greatest faith. As long as we think it is possible for us to do it, we are relying on ourselves. We must learn to rely on the strength of the Lord and that alone. Her faith was in the fact that she knew God was faithful. God will always keep His word even when the answer seems so far away and so far fetched. Maybe the Apostle Paul was thinking of Sarah when he said, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."
May you have the strength of faith today!