Abram and Sarai had been together most of their lives. They had faithfully followed G_d and his commands, as did the members of their house. Both wanted an heir to continue their life and service to G_d, but it had not been possible despite their prayers and efforts to conceive. Sarai went so far as to send her husband, then in his eighties, into the arms of her maid Hagar, so that Abram would at least be the father of one son to carry on his name. G_d had need for the services of the faithful, of Abram and Sarai, but had every intention to reward their faithfulness.

Humans become anxious with the hurried, or slow, passage of time, but G_d is outside of time. In Abram’s ninety-ninth year, the Creator tells him that his children and those who come from his children’s children will be a multitude, harder to number than the stars in the heavens. Now I am sure that Sarai was a bitter-sweet kind of happy, thinking that she had partially assisted in this revelation from G_d by allowing the union between Hagar and her husband. Ismael, the son of Abram and Hagar would surely begin this large heritage that G_d had promised. However, G_d had other plans. “I am G_d Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.”

G_d comes to Abram and tells him, as father of the great nation, that his new name will be Abraham, Sarai will get a new name as well, Sarah, and, one more surprising revelation, “The LORD said, “I will surely return to you in the spring, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” The elderly Sarai is hearing all this from inside her tent and, like many wives hearing the boasting of old men, laughs at the thought of an elderly couple having “pleasure.” Had the conversation taken place in this century her response would likely have been, “Yeah, right! Not happening!” But G_d assures them, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Evidently, “pleasure” they had, and Isaac was the fruit of their faithfulness.

There were multiple visits to learned physicians, all of whom determined that children were not a possibility. While the disclosure produced a gloomy state, the information gave rise to a retirement-like attitude, decades in advance of the eligibility for Social Security. A couple in love adapt to being childless, and live life accordingly. The extraordinary will do…well, the extraordinary, some do not assent to the revelation and choose despair, others choose a loving adoption, and surely a few, as we did, go into an early empty nest syndrome, yet keep moving forward. Years later came the shock of “You’re what?” When the shocking news comes, that all medical science had to offer may not be correct, it will completely change the world view one has known. The doctors had assured us that “you cannot have children” but the Creator does not know “cannot.”

Jesus came to call us to a higher standard in our faithfulness, to do what may seem impossible. And without the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling is us, it may well be impossible. But we are not on our own, the Spirit is with us, and can lift us to accomplish the incredible. All that is required is faithful patience following G_d’s plan for us, listening for his call to us from outside our tent. Rely on him as you call out in prayer, and the constantly listen for his response, knowing that we are on a Divine timeline. “O G_d, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who despair or have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth in your call to us; the truth of your Word made flesh.”

Pax,
jbt