Apple of His Eye - Sarah (Part 2)

Dearest Eves,

I am so thrilled to be writing to you again. It has been quite an endeavour reading through Berĕshith (Genesis) to discover the blueprint Abba has for the Eves of His Kingdom. What an absolute honour it is to see that Abba has a divine purpose for us all.

As I indicated in Part 1, stopped a little longer at the life of Sarah as her story spans over many chapters in Berĕshith. In Gen 17:19 God said to Abraham that Sarah will have a son who is to be named Isaac (meaning laughter) and God will establish His covenant with Isaac as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. When the waiting period for the promise to be fulfilled became too long, out of their own power and longing for the promise to be fulfilled, they took matters into their own hands. Sarah gave her handmaid, Hagar, to her husband so that he could have children with her. They had one child together named Ishmael. This was not how God intended to give Abraham and Sarah an offspring…Doesn’t this sound familiar? Isn't this what we often do as well? We try to take matters into our own hands when we feel that we have waited too long…

In part 2, we will take a look at why it is important to wait upon Abba to fulfil his promises according to His timeline.

True Identity is given by Abba only…

'And Elohim said to Aḇraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name. “And I shall bless her and also give you a son by her. And I shall bless her, and she shall become nations – sovereigns of peoples are to be from her.” 

Berĕshith (Genesis) 17:15-16

Here is quite an interesting change within Sarah’s story. At the age of 90 years old Abba changed her name from Sarai (meaning my princess) to Sarah (meaning princess to all). Why? Would one wonder.  At such an old age it doesn't make sense… Abba had a purpose for it in His Timeline. Sarah’s identity was established in order for her to know who she is in Abba Father and through this knowledge her purpose in His Kingdom came to be.

Many times we as human beings tend to move towards the ‘trend’ of identity by picking up pieces of what we have done or failed to do in the past. Oh I am a quitter, a liar, a thief, an adultress etc. Yet, these are the things we have done - not the people we are. See, identity is given though Abba early on in our lives, it is up to us to realise who we are in His Kingdom. We often don’t realise it early on in life - don’t worry Sarah was 90 years old - you've still got time! When we realise what and in WHO our identity is rooted, we get to know Abba’s heart for his people and thus our purpose in HIS Kingdom is unlocked.

Still to wait…

‘And Aḇraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Is a child born to a man who is a hundred years old? Or is Sarah, who is ninety years old, to bear a child?” “And Elohim said, “No, Sarah your wife is truly bearing a son to you, and you shall call his name Yitsḥaq. And I shall establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. “But My covenant I establish with Yitsḥaq, whom Sarah is to bear to you at this appointed time next year.” And when He had ended speaking with him, Elohim went up from Aḇraham.' Berĕshith (Genesis) 17:19,21-22

After Sarah and Abraham received their God given identity, they still had to wait on Abba’s promise to be fulfilled. Sometimes we, in our human hearts, cannot begin to imagine why Abba decides to delay things happening in our lives. But the best is to trust in His Timeline - we never see the full picture of life. Yes, it is hard to trust in Him when we really want something and it is even harder when you see nothing is physically happening. Remember, it may feel like nothing is physically happening, but Abba Father is working in the background, HE is always on the move and HE is preparing your heart. Heart preparation cannot be rushed and you cannot lie to Abba saying that your heart is in the right place & ready to receive - only Abba can see if your heart is ready. We must focus on asking Him to test our hearts daily and to show us where we need to repent / transform / submit to Him. 

A promise delayed is not a promise denied…

'And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “See, in the tent.” And He said, “I shall certainly return to you according to the time of life, and see, Sarah your wife is to have a son!” And Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him. Now Aḇraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age, and Sarah was past the way of women. And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my master being old too?” And יהוה said to Aḇraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I truly have a child, since I am old?’ Is any matter too hard for יהוה? At the appointed time I am going to return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah is to have a son. But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!” Berĕshith (Genesis) 18:9-15

Here we read that when Sarah heard the promise, she laughed to herself thinking that she is too old (she was past childbearing years). God responded and said: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” This initial laughter is characterised by worldly emotion out of her human nature and doubt (to her it seemed impossible to have children at her age).

When Isaac was born, Sarah laughed again, but this time it was a laugh of amazement and triumph. By faith Sarah understood that no obstacle is too hard for God and there is nothing that His mighty power cannot accomplish. “By faith Sarah herself 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. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is on the seashore” (Hebrews 11:11-12).

When we stand in awe of Abba and what he accomplishes in our lives, we cannot help to laugh out of amazement and triumph. The warning here is however that we should never laugh out of distrust because something seems impossible, for with God, anything is possible! Abba will make provision for His promise to us, no matter how impossible it seems! 

A promise fulfilled…

'And יהוה visited Sarah as He had said, and יהוה did for Sarah as He had spoken. So Sarah conceived and bore Aḇraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time of which Elohim had spoken to him. And Aḇraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Yitsḥaq. And Sarah said, “Elohim has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of it laughs with me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Aḇraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.” Berĕshith (Genesis) 21:1-3,6-7

Sarah bore Abraham a son at the appointed time… if there is any message you take from this blog post let it be that sentence! Abba has an appointed time and reason for delaying His promises to you! Keep heart, it is on its way. 

Sarah’s Blueprint…

We endeavoured through Sarah’s special story in two parts. We saw that Abba always has a purpose and a promise attached to a blessing and that it does not help us to try and ‘’speed things up’’ as this will not achieve the result we would like. Only Abba knows what we really want in our hearts and He will provide it - in HIS Timeline. We need to root our identity in Him and through that allow Him to prepare our hearts to receive the promise He has for us. Keep on believing in Abba and His promises to you - they are on their way. 

'Blessed is she who believed, for that which יהוה has said to her shall be accomplished!' Luqas (Luke) 1:45

Shalom,

Neréne